Anywhere but Home
by Frost Mage
Summary: [ON HIATUS] Demons, evil robots, madness, love, and plots to destroy the world. What more could you want? RaexJinx, BBxTerra
1. Chase

Anywhere but Home

A story by Frost Mage.

Disclaimer 1: I don't own any of the previously copyrighted material used in this story.

Disclaimer 2: This story involves a lesbian relationship. If that offends you, get the hell out.

Disclaimer 3: This story is rated M for violence, colorful language, self-mutilation, sex, torture, rape, and explosions, and should not be read by anyone.

Disclaimer 4: Certain plot elements in this story were borrowed-not stolen-from the story Violently Happy by Khaleda. Kudos to Khaleda for being a good sport about it and not crying OMG PLAGARIZM. You rock!

Chapter 1-Chase

"Okay, so let's go over the plan again."

"For the love of--! We've gone over it like, eleventy-billion times!"

Jinx was not happy. The plan was incredibly simple: she had to sneak into the bank, use the device Gizmo had given her to disable security, and open the front door. Oh, and carry some bags of money--the best part. But Gizmo insisted on going over ever little detail again and again. She folded her arms as Gizmo launched into the exact same speech he'd been giving them for the past week.

"I'm going," Jinx snapped, cutting Gizmo off midsentence.

"Wait, are you sure you remember how--" Gizmo's voice faded as she vaulted down the fire escape and jogged across the street, taking deep breaths of the cool night air. Jinx reached the rear of the bank and pulled the small grapple off of her belt. She ascended quickly, landing softly on the roof. The pink-haired thief suppressed a smirk as she crept to a large AC vent, prying it open and sliding inside.

Jinx hacked as she inhaled a mouthful of dust inside the AC shaft. "Ah, fuck!" She choked out between coughs. Dammit, doesn't anyone know how to clean? Gizmo's gonna get it for making me crawl aroud in this filthy thing. Sliding forward slowly, Jinx opened the panel below her and hung her head upside-down into the bank. Rapidly tapping out a series of commands on the wrist-mounted device, she scanned the room. Just as promised, the tiny red lights on the security cameras went out. With feline grace, she lowered herself to the floor and strode proudly over to the door.

"Bout damn time," Gizmo snorted as he pushed past her into the darkened bank.

"Yeah, you're welcome." Jinx muttered to herself. Gizmo pointed out the vault in the back for Mammoth. The giant meta-human grabbed the massive steel door, and ripped it off with a tremendous heave. He dropped it on the floor with a huge clang, and Jinx and Gizmo both jumped at least a yard.

"Dammit! Why don't you just wake up the whole fucking city!" Gizmo shouted.

"Sorry." Mammoth grumbled and proceeded to stuff bags of coins into the backpack he had brought just for the occasion. Gizmo produced a levitating box, and he and Jinx loaded it up as well.

---

An alarm went off on the computer console inside Titans Tower. "Got something," Cyborg said. "KeyBank security systems just went down." He rapidly punched in a few commands, bringing up a short video clip, showing a girl with her hair up in a pair of horns hanging from a celing vent just before the footage went blank.

"That looks like Jinx," Robin said. "Titans, let's move out."

All five superpowered teens jumped up and hurried to make it to the crime scene.

---

Gizmo cackled gleefully and rubbed his hands together. "Man, we've never had a haul this big!" His happiness was infectious. Jinx grinned and did a little hopskip as she headed out the door, and Mammoth had a smile plastered across his hairy face.

Jinx's excitement was short-lived as she saw who was approaching the bank. "Uh, guys? Titans coming." Jinx's heart thudded against her ribs. Boy, they sure don't look happy.

Gizmo's face drained of color. "We're fucked. Let's get the hell out of here!" He activated his jetpack and rocketed off. Starfire, carrying Cyborg, split off and followed him. Mammoth took off down the street in the opposite direction, pursued by Beast Boy in pterodactyl form with Robin underneath. Leaving Jinx standing in front of the bank. Alone. Cornered by Raven, who was definetly not the type to just let someone off with a warning. Yeah, right, as if any of the other ones would.

Jinx gave her a sheepish grin. "Don't suppose you could let me go just this once?"

Raven looked at her disbelievingly. "Wow, you must really be desperate."

"Yeah, not so much...catch me if you can!" Jinx sprinted down a nearby alley, vaulting over obstacles. Raven flew after her, preparing to snag her telekinetically as soon as she was close enough.

Damn, she's faster than she looks, Raven thought grimly. And she weaves too much to grab. Better slow her down. Raven lifted a garbage can and flung it in Jinx's path. At just that moment, Jinx glanced backwards at Raven and tripped over the trash can, sending her into a flying dive. Amazingly, Jinx managed to roll as she landed, springing back to her feet and picking up speed. Wow, that was either the best reflexes I've ever seen, or pure dumb luck.

Damn, that hurt. Jinx ruefully rubbed her scraped elbow as she ran, twisting and turning erratically to throw off her dark pursuer. Gotta get higher or she'll trip me next time. Jinx darted into an alley. A dead end alley.

"Gotcha." Raven smirked.

"Not quite," Jinx replied, hurling a hex bolt at the psion. Raven threw up a shield to protect herself, and Jinx used the distraction to grab the fire escape. Jinx kicked back and forth, bouncing between the two metal structures on the sides of the buildings. She flipped agilely onto the roof...

...and froze, enveloped in dark energy. Damn, I should have seen that coming. Jinx tried in vain to break free before she was slammed hard onto the roof, knocking the wind out of her.

Raven stood over her captive. "This time, you're not getting away." She arched an eyebrow as Jinx started laughing. "What? What's so funny?"

Jinx glanced at her wrist, which had previously held the device Gizmo had instructed her to be so careful with. Man, he's gonna be pissed when he finds out I lost it. "Oh, nothing. I'm just cracking up, is all." The pink-haired girl grinned roguishly at Raven. This is weird. Normally I should be upset about getting caught, but I feel kinda good about it. Was I trying to let her catch me?

"Why am I not surprised..." Raven muttered. She reached for her communicator in her belt--

--and stopped when Jinx called out, "Hey, don't I get a last request?" I almost said last kiss. Kiss? Raven's not like that, is she? Am I even like that? Besides, I'm a thief and she's a vigilante. No way that could ever work.

"Only if you're being executed."

Jinx smiled winsomely. "Can I have one anyways?"

She looks so cute and innocent, it's almost hard to--wait, did I just think that? Raven shook her head. I've gotta be crazy to do this..."Fine, you can have a last request. What do you want?"

"Let me go for a minute." Raven looked at her skeptically. "I promise not to run off. See? No fingers crossed or anything." The imprisoning energy around her faded and Jinx climbed to her feet slowly. Here goes nothing...

"That was your last request?" Before Raven could react, Jinx slipped in close and kissed her. Raven stiffened in shock at the feel of the soft lips on hers. Just as quickly, Jinx took a step back, tilting her head to one side. Raven touched a finger to her lips, felt them tingle. "Why did you do that?" She hoped the other girl couldn't see her turning red beneath her hood.

"No reason." Jinx lied. She hasn't attacked me yet...maybe that wasn't so suicidal after all. Looks like I paralyzed her, actually. Raven was just staring oddly at her. She snapped her fingers in front of the empath's hooded face. "Earth to Raven, you there?"

Raven jumped slightly. "Yeah, yeah. What did you say?"

Jinx giggled at Raven's predicament. "Jeez, looks like someone's never been kissed before." She leaned in and brushed Raven's lips lightly with hers before going to the edge of the roof and mounting the fire escape. "See ya!" And she was gone.

Wow, what just happened? Did she do what I think she did? Wait, I let her get away! Raven paced back and forth briefly before sitting on the corner of the roof. Jinx was nowhere in sight. Now, was that a trick, or did she just take advantage of me being stunned? It didn't seem like a trick...Her hand drifted up to her lips. No! It must have been a trick. Jinx doesn't actually like me...does she?

"Raven, come in." Raven was startled by the voice coming from her comm.

"I'm here."

Robin's voice. "Beast Boy and I lost Mammoth, but we recovered the money. Did you have any luck?"

What should I say? I had her and she kissed me to distract me? "No, Jinx got away."

"Alright. I'm going to check in with Cyborg and Starfire. Meet you back at the tower."

"Right." Raven flipped the communicator shut.

---

Jinx finally slowed to a walk, panting and holding her side. She was several blocks from the building now, and she was fairly sure Raven hadn't followed her. Okay, time to think about this situation. I definetly just kissed one of my enemies. I liked it, and from her reaction, I'd say she did too. What the hell? I've never liked girls before. Raven's just...just...just I don't know what! But I'm strangely attracted to her for some reason I can't fathom. Bah, this whole situation's just fucked up.

Before long, Jinx arrived at her apartment. She flopped onto the couch with a sigh, trying to puzzle out just why she had kissed the dark titan. Her thoughts were interrupted by the insistent buzzing of her two-way pager. Wonder who that could be.

"What?"

"Where the fuck are you?" Gizmo said angrily.

"At my apartment, why?"

"Did you get any cash?"

Jinx rolled over exasperatedly. "I didn't have any cash, remember? What happened to all the stuff you guys had?"

"This idiot dropped his, and, uh, I guess I left mine at the bank."

"Brilliant. Next time you come up with a half-assed scheme, leave me out of it, huh?" Jinx shut her radio off over Gizmo's protests and demands. A loud rumble in her stomach made her hop off the couch and head to the fridge. Opening it to find...nothing. Great, I'm broke and starving. What to do...eh, I'm too pissed to just lay around here. I need to vent, and I know just the way. Jinx grinned as she headed out to write grafitti and break some windows.

--- 


	2. With You

Chapter 2-With You

After checking in at the tower, Raven phased through the wall of her room and flew back towards the city. She needed to find a quiet place to think away from everyone. Decieving her teammates was not her intention, but it'd be better for them to think she had gone to sleep than worry about her being out by herself. And it's not like I'll be gone long.

Raven flew to a place she frequented occasionally--Jump City Park. There were usually too many people there during the day, but night was another story. Landing on the path, Raven started walking slowly, admiring the foliage and the night sky. It was an exceptionally clear night, but a chill breeze whipped past her, sending shivers up her spine. I should have put on something warmer, she thought. I'm gonna freeze my ass off out here.

Rounding a bend, Raven spotted a figure crouching by a row of hedges. Faint muttering drifted towards her, although Raven couldn't make out any of the words. She quietly moved closer.

Jinx muttered to herself as she fiddled with her lighter. This stupid thing. How am I gonna burn down these hedges if I can't--

"Ahem."

Jinx whirled aroung to find Raven standing over her, arms crossed. "Um...hi."

"What are you up to?"

Jinx shifted nervously. "Nothing, I was just out for a walk."

"Right." Raven swallowed hard. Okay, Raven. Just say something. Don't stare at her, talk.

Jinx eyed her cautiously as she realized the hooded girl wasn't going to attack her. "You look kinda cold. You really ought to start wearing pants," she said mischeviously.

Raven glowered. "You're one to talk in that skirt." Which shows off your legs very nicely...Stop that! Jinx stuck out her tounge impishly. "So...what was up with...y'know, earlier?"

Jinx chewed on her lip. "Well, what did you want to be up with it?"

"Come on, Jinx." Raven turned sideways. "Why did you do that?"

Jinx stepped out in front of her, pushing Raven's hood back. "You mean, this?" With Jinx's hands on the back of her neck, Raven melted into the kiss. It went on much longer this time. When Jinx finally pulled back, Raven stared at her wishing she hadn't, breathing rather heavily. "I just wanted to see if you liked it." Jinx's fingers brushed Raven's cheek. "You shouldn't wear the hood so much, it hides your pretty face."

"Jinx, this is really weird. I mean, aren't we supposed to be enemies?"

Jinx drew back a little. "Do we have to be?"

"You make a living by stealing things, and I fight people who steal things. Isn't that a conflict of interest?"

The pink-haired girl turned abruptly and looked back over her shoulder. "Yeah, you're probably right," she said wistfully. "It's a bad idea. But I like you, despite our history." And honestly, I could really use a friend right now. But she'd never consider me worth her time. Bad luck strikes again.."I should go."

"Wait." Raven put her hand on Jinx's shoulder. "You like me?"

"What, is that a crime now?" Jinx faced the psion, pink eyes meeting violet. "I felt something earlier, there on that roof." She looked away. "And I don't mean the kiss."

Raven placed her free hand on Jinx's other shoulder. "I..felt something, too." I'm just not sure what.

The rumble of thunder interrupted the moment. Raven dropped her hands sheepishly, while Jinx studied the clouds gathering in the sky. "Hmm, that's weird." She stepped back and started prancing and skipping around, singing, "Tut tut, it looks like rain."

"Having fun?" Raven arched an eyebrow.

Jinx grinned in her trademark mischevious way. God, she looks cute with that look on her face, she mused, now circling the amused empath. "Yep!" She halted right in front of Raven. "Hey, I've got an idea."

"Really? You sure it's not a hallucination?" Raven replied in monotone.

Is she joking or not? "Disregarding that...let's see if we can outrun the rain...readysetGO!" The pink-haired sorceress bolted down the path, glancing back to see if Raven would follow.

Raven sighed, flipped up her hood, and flew after Jinx. Does she like having me chase her? "Where are we running to?" She called.

"You're flying!" Jinx shot back.

The chase was notably different from the one they had been in earlier. More lighthearted and fun, like a game of tag, Jinx throwing taunts over her shoulder and Raven answering back in spite of herself. Raven was actually enjoying herself, laughing at Jinx's quips and trying to think of something funny to answer with--she'd never been much for witty banter. When it started raining, the two picked up speed, Jinx trying to get to wherever she was heading and Raven trying not to lose her. Jinx halted abruptly in front of a small brick apartment building, flinging open the door and and dashing up the stairs inside. Raven swerved sharply to follow her, skimming above the stairs.

The sorceress stopped again in front of her apartment door, fumbling for her keys. She managed to get the door open just as the psion caught up with her, and Raven darted inside, plowing headfirst into Jinx. Raven landed on top of a squirming Jinx on the floor.

"Oh no! You followed me to my secret lair!" Jinx giggled as Raven embarassedly jumped up. "Whatever will I do? The heroine has me at her mercy!"

Raven studied her surroundings. The apartment was small and sparsely furnished, with just a couch and a TV on a table in the living room. The walls and ceiling were in poor repair, with cracks and water stains. A single window stood opposite the door, shrouded with black curtains. "Why did you lead me to your apartment?"

Jinx hugged her knees to her chest. Her hair was flopping backwards on her head from the rain and wind. "I don't know. I didn't think you'd follow me this far."

"I'm not about to let you run off in the middle of the first civil conversation we've ever had." Raven pushed her hood down and stared down at Jinx.

"Aww, would Rae-Rae feel lonely if I ran away?"

A dangerous gleam appeared in Raven's eyes. "We may be talking like normal people, but I will kick your ass if you call me that again."

Jinx stood up and grinned at her. "Then how about cupcake? Or sunshine?"

Raven suddenly shoved Jinx backwards, landing her on the couch. "No pet names," she growled.

Jinx flipped over so her head was upside down and her feet were in the air, and began pulling the black bands out of her hair. "Are you always so rough?" She smiled invitingly and patted the couch next to her. "Come on, I don't bite." Hard, she added under her breath. God, I'm nervous. She's not even aware of how she's tying my stomach in knots.  
Raven sat down next to her watching her undo her hair. "Are you ever serious?" She wondered.

Jinx sat upright, her pink locks falling around her shoulders in a disorganized and very attractive way. "Usually I have to be drunk. I'm a very sad drunk. How about you?"

Raven shook her head slightly. "I've never been drunk."

Jinx smirked. "Well, you're not missing much. Unless you like throwing up, that is."

"Um..." Raven flushed. "I think...your hair looks nice that way." She finished in a rush.

Jinx's eyes widened. "Did you just give me a complement? And with a blush, no less." Staring at the unfamiliar red color rising in Raven's cheekes, she added, "You're so cute when you're flustered."

Raven tried not to tremble as Jinx reached for her. "Sh...shut up..."

"Stammering, too?" Jinx pulled the purple-haired girl into an embrace. "Someone's nervous." Yeah, me.

Raven felt herself responding to the other girl's touch. She rested her head against Jinx's shoulder and inhaled deeply, trying to suppress a sigh. "Why are you hugging me?"

"You ask why too much." Jinx held her out at arms length. "Can't I give my new buddy a hug?"

"New buddy, huh? You like me that much?"

"Yeah." Jinx's face sobered. "I do. Would you maybe want to...I mean, it's cool if no, but...would you want to hang out for a while?" Ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease...

Raven pondered for a moment. Well, no one knows I'm gone, so it should be alright...and Jinx is intriguing me. This may be my only chance to figure out how I feel about her. "Alright."

"Really! Cool!" Jinx bounced excitedly. "I know just the thing. Wait here." She jumped up and went into her bedroom. She returned shortly with a DVD in her hands. "Movie time!"

Raven looked at her cooly. "What movie, psycho?"

"Actually, it's The Exorcist." She shrugged. "What can I say? I like scary movies." Jinx started the movie and flopped down next to Raven. "If I get really scared, can I hide in your cloak?"

Raven smiled. "I don't know, my cloak can be pretty scary at times."

"I'll just grab your hand, then." Jinx said with a wink.

---

Hours had passed. Raven and Jinx had talked about anything and everything, finding similarities between them and just getting to know each other. When the movie ended, Jinx put in a CD, and the two just listened. One thing they had found out was they were both Evanescence fans. Jinx started to doze off halfway throught the CD, about one in the morning, although neither of them had kept track of the time. Jinx leaned back on Raven, who draped an arm over her companion's shoulders. The purple-haired girl couldn't resist humming to some of her favorite songs, and by the last song she was singing softly, figuring Jinx was too asleep to notice.

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
you won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?"

"Your singing voice is beautiful." Jinx murmured.

Raven gasped. "I didn't know you were awake."

"You woke me up with your humming." Jinx twisted to look at Raven. "I really liked your singing."

"Umm...thanks." Raven glanced at the clock. It was close to two now. "I better get home." She stood up, leaving Jinx to fall flat on the couch.

Before Raven could take two steps, Jinx had seized her hand. "Don't." The empath turned to look at her. "Please. It's late, and..." An enormous crack of thunder reverberated through the room. "...it sounds really bad out there." And I'd miss you really badly.

Raven went to the window and peered out. The rain was coming down in buckets, sheets of water. Raven considered. There's so much rain I might not be able to stay airborne. But won't the others worry if I'm not there in the morning? Maybe if I get up early enogh, I can get back before anyone notices.

Jinx watched Raven as she stared out the window. If she says yes, where's she gonna sleep? That couch is pretty lumpy. I should be a good host and take the couch. Do I have a spare pillow and blanket? Jinx shook her head. Man, these spur-of-the-moment things don't always go so well. Especially the way my luck runs.

Raven turned from the window. "Well, I guess it is too wet out there to go home. Um, you wouldn't have any spare pjs, would you?"

A slow smile spread across Jinx's features. She disappeared into the bedroom again, bringing out a set of pajamas. "So do you want to shower first?"

Raven stepped forward to take the pajamas from the other girl, and found Jinx kissing her before she knew it. Jinx's arms were around her neck, and she slid her hands forward onto Jinx's hips. The kiss was deeper this time, Raven felt Jinx's tounge slide into her mouth, gently teasing hers. A soft moan rose in the back of her throat as Jinx's fingers tangled in her hair. Jinx pulled away reluctantly. "Go take a shower," she whispered. Raven smiled and picked up the discarded pjs on the floor.

This is crazy! Raven thought as she stepped into the shower. Am I falling for her? A girl? A thief? I'm not even the relationship type! But...I'm enjoying this time I'm spending with her. She pursed her lips. Guess I never thought of her as a person, just someone to stop from committing crimes. She is a human being, though, and I like her. A lot, actually. Maybe this could work out.

She stepped out of the bathroom, wearing Jinx's pajamas. The flannel top and pants were several sizes too big, and upon seeing Jinx sprawled on the couch in hers, it was apparent she bought them that way on purpose. "Did you shower already?"

"Yeah, my neighbor let me borrow his shower for a bit. You go ahead and take the bed, it's really comfy. I've got the couch."

Raven folded her arms. "I'm not about to kick you out of your own comfy bed. You take it."

Jinx frowned. "No, I'm being a good host. I'm not moving from this couch, so you might as well--" She cut off as she was flung into the bedroom, bouncing on her bed once. She spluttered her protests as Raven poked her head in.

"Goodnight, stubborn girl," she said before closing the door.

Jinx was not about to be put off that easily. She walked over to Raven, who had just laid down on the couch. "Look, since we can't agree who gets the bed, how about a deal?"

Raven opened one eye. "What are you talking about?"

Blushing furiously, Jinx replied, "We could...y'know, share?"

"You mean, sleep in the same bed?" Raven sat up and stared at her.

"Well, it's not very big, but it's really cozy..." Jinx shifted her feet nervously. When Raven just looked at her, she said, "Never mind, I'll take the bed."

Raven grabbed her hand as she turned away. "Okay." The pink-haired girl smiled, and she smiled back. Holding hands, the two quietly entered the bedroom. Jinx got under the blanket first, holding it open for her new friend. Raven laid on her back and Jinx snuggled close, running her fingers across Raven's smooth stomach. Raven shuddered and looked over at her, their eyes meeting.

"Hi there," murmured Jinx.

"Hi."

"Raven, what's up with us?"

"Not sure. But I like being around you."

"Yeah." Jinx moved her head close to Raven's neck, kissing it softly. "I'm really happy being with you, too."

Raven just smiled as they lay entwined under the blanket, easily drifting off to sleep.

--- 


	3. Secrets

Chapter 3-Secrets

Beast Boy hummed to himself as he cooked tofu scrambled eggs. He was feeling unusually chipper this morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as it were. He had woken up at about the time Raven usually did, and gone up to the roof to watch the sunrise with her. She wasn't there, which meant she was probably meditating in her room.

Cyborg yawned tremendously as he walked into the kitchen. "Dude, are you making that crap again, B?"

"Hey, tofu's good for you!"

Cyborg started rummaging in the fridge for the bacon. "The day you can prove that to me is the day I'll eat it."

Beast Boy grimaced. "It's better for you than bacon."

"Oh, yeah?"

Robin walked in as they began their usual morning arguement, shaking his head and grinning ruefully. "Guys, can't you just agree to disagree for once?"

"He started it!" Beast Boy cried.

"Did not!" The arguement resumed anew just as Starfire walked in.

"Good morning, friend Robin! Beast Boy and Cyborg are preparing the morning feast as always?"

Robin chuckled. "Yep, same debate they always have."

"Then I shall cook this morning!" Starfire moved past the squabbling duo, who seemed to have forgotten about making breakfast.

Breakfast was ready shortly thereafter. "So, Star, what did you make?" Robin asked.

"I have decided to experiment with Earth foods." She placed a tray piled with dark brown, lumpy flat disks in front of the three waiting Titans. "They are pancakes, with my own additions!"

The first bites were shockingly bad. Beast Boy gagged, and Robin guzzled his coffee to try to drown the taste. Cyborg choked out, "Man, what's in these!"

Starfire started displaying the ingredients she used. "Small silver fish, the radish of horses, and the most wonderful hot peppers."

"Anchovies and horseradish?" Beast Boy coughed, "I think I'd be better off with bacon!"

"Do you not like the meal I have prepared?" Starfire asked.

Robin replied, looking somewhat green, "They're great, Star, but I guess we're not in the mood for pancakes."

"Then I shall consume them myself!" she declared, squirting mustard onto her pancakes.

"Hey, where's Raven this morning? She's usually up by now." Cyborg wondered.

"I think she's meditating," Beast Boy said.

Just then, Raven walked into the room smiling.

"Morning, Raven. You look cheerful today." Robin said.

"I...had a good night." Raven answered. She hummed softly to herself as she made herself tea.

Beast Boy stared at her. "I don't think I've ever seen Raven this happy before. It's kinda scary."

"Hey, it's great that she's in a good mood," Cyborg interjected quietly. "Let's just enjoy it."

Starfire looked up from her meal. "Friend Raven, you are most joyous this morning. Please tell us of the goodness of your night, so that we may share in your joy."

Raven sat down at the table and stared into her mug. What should I tell them? I don't think they'd appreciate the idea of me falling for a criminal. I should just be vague about it. "Well, after we got back, I went out again, and I...met someone."

"Like a boyfriend sort of someone?" Robin asked with a grin.

"Sort of..." Raven blushed slightly.

Starfire seized Raven in a tremendous hug. "That is most wonderful news! You must allow us to meet him!"

"Well, you only just met the guy, right?" Beast Boy asked. Raven nodded as best she could with Starfire hugging the air out of her lungs. "So, he's not technically your boyfriend?" He hoped he didn't sound as jealous as he felt.

Raven inhaled deeply as Starfire released her. "No, technically not," she answered, raising an eyebrow at Beast Boy. He avoided looking at her.

---

The day had passed by fairly uneventfully. Robin and Starfire went to the mall together, while Cyborg and Beast Boy played video games most of the day.

Raven sat in her room, trying to concentrate on the book she was reading. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the pink-haired sorceress she had spent the night with...

Jinx dropped the inflatable boat into the water and climbed in, continuously reminding herself of what a bad idea this was. If they catch me, I'm dead, she thought as she paddled towards the island Titans Tower perched on. But I don't know how else to contact her other than leaving a note on her door. I'm a hopeless idiot for doing this, Raven, so you damn well better say yes.

The raft ground onto the shore and Jinx hopped out quickly, hidden behind a rock. Taking a deep breath, she sprinted to the door, stuck the note she had written in the door, rang the bell, and dashed back behind the rock. After a few minutes, the door slid open. Cyborg looked back and forth, and Jinx prayed he wouldn't spot her. He noticed the letter on the ground, picked it up and went back inside. Jinx let out the breath she had been holding. "Mission accomplished," she sighed as she pushed her small boat off the shore.

"Raven! Letter for you!" Cyborg called as he came back in. Raven sat bolt upright in her room, and hurried out to find him. "Bet I know who this is from," he said as he handed it to her.

I bet you don't, she thought as she thanked him and returned to her room to read it.

Rae-Rae,  
You make a comfy addition to my bed. Not to mention a great person to talk to. Having a friend is great! (this was accompanied by a smiley face) Anyways, how about a movie tonight? Regal Cinema, 6:30? Dress incognito. Well, as incognito as two girls with such unique hair can be. My treat.  
Love, Jinxy-poo P.S. Why no pet names?

Raven laughed, then glanced at the clock. 5:30? I'd better get going. She started digging through her closet in search of something other than her usual uniform. She settled on a pair of black jeans and a dark blue collared shirt, pulling a black t-shirt over it. Black sneakers she hadn't worn once completed her outfit. She grabbed a zip-up hoodie and pulled it on as she left.

"Guys? I'm going out," she called to Beast Boy and Cyborg as she left.

"Have fun," Cyborg answered. Beast Boy stared after her, feeling hurt and jealous.

"Cy? I think I'm gonna go somewhere, too."

"Aww, man. What am I supposed to do here all by myself?" Cyborg complained.

Beast Boy shrugged as he walked out. "I don't know, wash your car?"

---

Raven looked around the front of the movie theater. 6:25, and Jinx was nowhere in sight. Raven started pacing slowly in front of the theater. Where is she?

She was startled by someone grabbing her from behing in a flying hug. "Man, sneaking up on you is just too easy." Jinx giggled in her ear. Raven turned around as Jinx let go of her. Her date had her hair down in sort of an organized mess, and was wearing baggy green cargo pants, a t-shirt saying 'Do you mind? I'm trying to ignore you.', spiked wristbands, and bright red sneakers.

Raven gave her a questioning look. "Are you colorblind, or did you get dressed in the dark?"

Jinx made a face at her. "Did you want to stay out here making fun of me all night, or go in and watch a movie?"

"I don't know," Raven mock-considered, "I'm trying to decide which would be more fun."

Jinx laughed and took her by the arm. "Let's go."

"And I thought I told you not to call me Rae-Rae."

Jinx laughed. "Well, I'm giving you a nickname, whether you like it or not. You are now Ravy."

Rolling her eyes, Raven replied, "Fine, if it makes you happy, you can call me that."

The two of them entered the movie theater just as the movie was starting, taking seats near the aisle. The fact that it was dark caused Raven to miss seeing a familiar green face sitting two rows behind them.

About fifteen minutes into the movie, Jinx decided to have a little fun. The place isn't that crowded, and I bet no one's even paying attention. Jinx sneaked her hand over towards Raven...

...who jumped almost a foot out of her seat as Jinx grabbed her breast. "Why did you do that?" She hissed.

"Oops, I was going for the popcorn," Jinx said coyly.

"We don't even have popcorn," Raven muttered. Well, two can play at that game, she thought. Jinx had turned her attention back to the movie, and the purple-haired psion leaned in close, holding her breath. In a fluid motion, she seized the other girl's earlobe in her teeth. Jinx stifled a yelp as Raven delicately nibbled her ear, blowing short puffs of air and making her jump. She tried not to moan as Raven kissed her neck up and down, grazing the soft skin with her teeth.

Holy shit, is that Raven? Beast Boy leaned forward to get a better look. She's totally making out with someone! Pink hair? Who is that? Beast Boy decided he needed to get a better look. Transforming into a fly, he flew up over the couple. Raven was definetly kissing a girl's neck, and that pink hair and those eyes made it...Jinx? Beast Boy's jaw dropped, or at least it would have if flies had jaws. He flew unsteadily back to his seat, plopping down in a state of shock. Raven...and...and Jinx? WHAT THE FUCK!

--- 


	4. Insecure

Chapter 4-Insecure

Patrons streamed out of the theater after the movie ended, among them, a certain purple-haired psion and pink-haired sorceress. Jinx tried to take Raven's hand, but she pulled back quickly.

"Jinx, not here..."

"Why not? You weren't so shy earlier."

Raven flushed. "Everyone can see."

"Well, then," Jinx smirked, "You leave me no choice but to proclaim it for all to hear."

"Jinx, don't."

"RAVEN..."

"Jinx!"

"LIKES..."

"Stop it!"

"GI--" She cut off as Raven grabbed her hand. "See, that wasn't so bad."

"You bitch," she grumbled affectionately.

"And don't you forget it," Jinx said proudly. They stepped out into the cool evening. "So, you wanna go somewhere?"

"Raven!" She whirled upon hearing the familiar voice. Oh please, no, she thought as Beast Boy stalked towards her. "What the hell, Raven? This is the someone you met! No wonder she got away!" Raven tried to interject, but he just kept going over her. "She's a girl, for God's sake! Not to mention a criminal! What are you thinking! I thought we had something special!" He turned and ran before she could get a word in edgewise. Raven looked at Jinx, torn between people she cared about.

Jinx nodded. "It's ok, go after him. I'll hang here for a while, y'know. In case you come back."

Raven gave her a grateful hug before flying after Beast Boy. "Beast Boy, wait!"

He shot back over his shoulder. "How could you do this! You're betraying all of us, especially me!"

"We never had anything more than friendship! I've told you before!"

"She's just using you to spy on us!"

"That's not true!"

The changeling shifted into cheetah form, sprinting down the street. Raven flew as fast as she could, but he outdistanced her and disappeared. Great, now what? She floated to the ground and sat dejectedly on a nearby bench. Everyone's going to think I've betrayed the team. He didn't even give me a chance to explain...Tears welled up in her eyes.

"He ran off, huh?" Jinx sat down on the bench beside her.

Raven didn't look up. "I thought you were going to wait back there."

"What can I say? I figured you might need some backup." Placing her arm around Raven's shoulders, she added, "Looks like you could use it."

Raven struggled to hold back the tears. "He...wouldn't even listen..." Her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. "None of them will listen." Several nearby streetlights exploded, plunging the area into shadows.

Jinx pulled the crying girl into an embrace, at a loss for words. What can I say to her? I have no idea how to handle this. "Raven, don't cry..."

Raven sat up, her eyes red-rimmed. "I have to go. My friends..." She looked away uncertainly. "I need to talk to them."

Jinx hugged her again. "Okay." She handed Raven a folded piece of paper. "My phone number. I almost got caught leaving that letter."

"Thanks."

Jinx sat there, watching as the dark bird flew into the sky. Good luck, Raven. If I know anything about the other Titans, you're gonna need it.

---

"--and she was making out with Jinx in the movie theater!" Beast Boy finished breathlessly.

"Are you sure?" Robin raised an eyebrow.

"They were holding hands when I came out! Of course I'm sure!" He gestured wildly. "Robin, Raven's gay! With a criminal!"

"I am confused," Starfire injected. "What is the meaning of 'gay'?"

"Ummm..." Robin scratched his head. How to put this... "It means she likes another girl...romantically."

"Oh."

The doors flew open, admitting a newly-composed Raven. Her hood was up, hiding the redness in her eyes.

Robin took a step towards her. "Raven, are you...involved with Jinx?"

"We're friends, if that's what you mean."

Robin folded his arms. "You know what I mean. Normally, your relationships wouldn't be any of our business, but this could hurt the team. What if she's just using you to spy on us?"

Raven glared. "It's not like that."

"The hell it isn't!" Beast Boy cried. "Raven, she's evil! She doesn't really care about you!"

"She is NOT evil!" Several overhead lights burst. "I care about her!"

"She's a criminal!"

"She's a human being!" Raven's eyes glowed red as monitors started exploding around the room. "She's a person, with feelings and emotions! Why can't you see her as anything more than some villian to throw in jail!"

Starfire stepped between the two. "Friends, please! We must not fight!"

"She's the enemy! Raven, you can't do this!" Beast Boy yelled around Starfire. Raven turned and stalked off, a trail of bangs following her back to her room. Beast Boy likewise escaped into his room, slamming the door.

"Well, that could have gone better," said Cyborg.

Robin headed for the door. "I'm going to talk to Raven."

Cyborg glanced at Starfire. "One of us should talk to BB."

"Perhaps we both should?" Starfire asked. "He seems most upset."

---

Robin rapped on Raven's door. "Raven? Can I talk to you?"

The door slid open a few inches. "What?"

"I'm sure Beast Boy didn't mean what he said." Robin rubbed his head. "I think he's just jealous."

Raven walked back into her room, sliding the door open as she went. She didn't want Robin to see the tears welling up again. "He wouldn't even give her a chance. None of you would."

"That's not true!" Robin stepped towards her. "If you vouch for her, then the rest of us will accept that."

"I trust her," she said simply.

"That's enough for me," Robin replied. "But can you understand what I'm saying about being a little skeptical?"

Raven glanced back at him. "I know. You're thinking about what's best for the team."

"It's not easy," Robin said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "and I don't want to force you to choose. Just be careful, okay?"

Raven managed a wobbly smile. "I will." She turned to face him. "Thanks for understanding."

The Boy Wonder grinned back at her. "Hey, it's what friends do."

---

Outside Beast Boy's room, muffled thumps echoed through the hall. "B? Whatcha doing in there?" Cyborg called through the door.

"Nothin'."

"Can we come in?"

"I guess."

Beast Boy was punching the wall as Starfire and Cyborg entered. "Beast Boy, you will injure yourself," Starfire pointed out.

"I don't care," he growled.

Cyborg gave him a reproachful look. "Look, I don't trust Jinx either, but if Raven likes her, we need to be supportive."

"I thought she liked me." Beast Boy replied.

"I am certain she does like you a great deal," Starfire said, "but it is wrong to be angry at the jinxed one because Raven is her friend."

Beast Boy whirled on her. "What if this is all a trap? Or a plot to lure Raven away from m--us?"

"Calm down, dude." Cyborg said. "We won't let that happen. How about we keep an eye on Jinx when we get the chance? If she makes any wrong moves, we nail her."

Starfire piped up. "I am not certain that is a good--"

"Alright." Beast Boy interrupted. "I don't like it, but I'll tolerate Raven liking her...for now."

---

Frustration painted Jinx's face as she paced in her living room. Dammit, it was going so well. Then Beast Boy showed up with his jealousy, and...Shit. Jinx sat down hard on the couch, scrubbing a hand through her hair. What if she decides to end it? Can't say I'd blame her. I sure as hell ain't worth it.

The phone rang unexpectedly. Jinx tripped trying to dive for it, managed to grab it from the floor. "Hello?" she answered hopefully.

"Jinx, I've got a new plan. Listen up, cuz this is the big one." Gizmo.

"Look, Giz, I'm really not in the mood."

"Seriously, just shut up and listen! We get a giant slingshot, right? And then--"

"Gizmo, I'm not interested, okay?"

"What did you say?"

"I'm. Not. Interested."

"How can you not be interested in getting rich?"

Jinx grimaced. "Maybe I'm getting sick of this shit, okay! Always running and hiding, living from heist to heist. I've had one meal in two days! Not to mention going in and out of jail! Maybe I don't wanna do it anymore!"

Stunned silence on the other end of the line.

"Tell Mammoth I said hi," she muttered before hanging up. Almost immediately the phone rang again. Exasperatedly, she snapped, "Look, Gizmo, I said I'm not--"

"Jinx?" Raven's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Oh...sorry." Jinx grinned with a combination of embarassment and joy. "Gizmo was tying to sell me on another one of his stupid plans."

"What'd you tell him?"

"I said..." Jinx hesitated. "...I was tired of doing it. Y'know, being a crook."

"You mean you're done robbing banks?" She sounded amused.

"Yeah. But I'm broke and out of food, so I don't really know what I'm gonna do."

"I could give you some money."

"No, I couldn't. I'll manage somehow...plus I can't pay you back."

"You wouldn't have to." Raven said in a serious tone. "Debts ruin friendships. Think of it as a gift."

"Well, if you insist...so, how'd things work out with your friends?"

Raven frowned. "Pretty badly. Beast Boy got really pissed, and Robin wasn't too happy either. But he told me he'd trust you because I do. I still don't know what Cyborg and Starfire think."

"You trust me?" Jinx said disbelievingly. "I lie a lot, you know."

"You haven't lied to me," Raven replied mildly, "and I don't think you will."

Long pause. "I trust you, too."

"Have you ever considered joining us?"

"What, being a Titan?" Jinx scoffed. "Yeah, like I'd have a chance in hell."

"You did help us against the Brotherhood. I'll back you up, you could join."

"Seriously?" Jinx pursed her lips. "I'll think about it."

Alarms rang in the background. "I gotta go. I'll call you later." Click.

Join the Titans? That's crazy! Jinx lay there on the floor, thinking. But she wants me to...still, it's a huge change. And who can say what the rest of them would do? She rolled onto her side. On the other hand, I'd have at least one friend who actually cares about me as a person and not just an accomplice, and I wouldn't have to worry about when I'd get my next meal. But what would Giz and Mammoth say? What if I had to fight them? Dammit! I wish my life wasn't so fuckin' messed up.

--- 


	5. Rain

Chapter 5-Rain

The Teen Titans sped towards Wayne Industries. Alarms were going off all over the building, evidence of either a massive break-in, or an extremely clumsy thief. All the security cameras were down, and smoke poured from several holes in the building as they approached.

"This looks ugly," Cyborg commented.

"Titans, GO!" Robin shouted as they landed, and they rushed into the building. Several steel gray robots stood in the front lobby. Others were going in and out of rooms, carrying out components, smashing holes in the walls as often as not. The ones in the lobby marched towards the Titans, holding metal claws ready. Robin flung his birdarang, but it bounced off harmlessly. Likewise, Starfire's starbolts glanced off the armored foes. Beast Boy morphed into a rhino and charged them. One robot stepped out and grabbed his horn, lifting him above the ground and slamming him down painfully. Cyborg had better luck with his arm cannon, blasting one's arm off.

"Man, what are these things made of?" Beast Boy groaned as he picked himself up, then changed into a bat to dodge its swipes.

"Hyah!" Robin threw several explosives at nearby robots. These seemed to work a bit better, blasting chunks out of them, exposing the circuitry underneath. Starfire dived into them, smashing robots left and right with her tremendous strength. Raven telekinetically grabbed pieces of building and threw them at the adversaries, knocking them flat and disabling some of them. So far, only a few robots were down, and the Titans were getting bruised and bloody.

"We have to stop them from getting whatever they're after!" Robin yelled as he saw more robots still carrying things off.

"How, when we can barely put a dent in them?" Cyborg responded. Robin gritted his teeth.

Just then, something swooped through the lobby, smashing out the other side.

"What was that?" Starfire gasped.

"It looked like a flying robot stingray," Beast Boy replied.

Raven flew after it. "I'll check it out."

It had landed in the courtyard behind the building. The robots were tramping into it with their stolen goods. "Azerath metrion ZINTHOS!" Raven created a barrier of darkness, cutting off the robots from entering their ship. They turned toward her in unison, the horizontal slits on their heads glowing dangerously. Raven slammed a shield in front of herself as they opened fire with a barrage of lasers. Intent on her defense, she failed to notice one approach behind her. It seized her in a powerful claw, the shield fading. Raven felt her ribs creak and her vision blur as it squeezed her powerfully. She struggled to get free, to use her powers, anything. She felt herself losing consciousness. No, don't pass out...get free...

Something crashed into the robot from behind, causing it to drop Raven to the ground. Her head smacked the pavement. Dazed, she was vaguely aware of something pink flashing back and forth through the robots. Robots fell to the ground as it passed them. A voice rang out as she was hauled to her feet. "You okay? Looks like you hit your head."

"Wha..."

"Raven!" Starfire came floating out of the building, followed by the other Titans. "Are you alright?"

"What happened?" Raven asked, still held up by her rescuer. She tried to shake off the ringing in her ears.

"The robots nearly had us, but your friend there came in at the last minute and started zapping them." Robin explained.

Cyborg added, "It looks like her powers caused terminal malfunctions in the robots--stuff that should only happen one time in a billion." He shook his head. "At least with robots this advanced."

Raven turned her head and stared at Jinx's broad grin. She was still dressed in the same outfit as earlier. "Hi again," she said.

Raven smiled in relief. "Guess I owe you one."

"Hey, remember what you told me earlier?"

Debts ruin friendships, Raven thought. Cyborg approached them. "So, Jinx, how exactly did you take out the robots? EMP?"

"I don't know what that is, but that's not it." She shrugged. "My abilities screw with chance, so stuff that has a really small chance of happening...happens."

"We really appreciate your help, Jinx." Robin said, extending a hand towards her. "I don't think we would have come out of that all in one piece if you hadn't shown up."

"Uhh...thanks." Jinx cautiously shook Robin's hand.

Beast Boy frowned, staring into the sky. "In case anyone hasn't noticed, the ship got away. They got whatever they came here for."

Starfire lifted one of the deactivated robots above her head, plunking it down in a sitting position. "This emblem on the robots is unfamiliar to me. Perhaps it is a clue to their origin?"

The emblem in question was etched on the chest of each robot--a skull in a circle, with wings on each side. Cyborg knelt down to examine it. "I think we should take some of these back for analysis. Raven, are you okay to help carry some?"

Raven pushed away from Jinx, standing slightly wobbly. Jinx hovered protectively nearby. "Yeah, I can grab a few."

"Alright. Raven, Starfire, you two carry some back to the tower," Robin said. "The rest of us will stay here and talk to the police. Not to mention figure out what they stole." Raven nodded, and swept two robots up with her powers, flying unsteadily with them trailing behind her. Starfire grabbed another and lifted it onto her back. Robin got her attention before she could go. "Star, keep an eye on Raven. I think she might have a concussion."

"I shall ensure her safety." Starfire flew after Raven.

Cyborg vanished into the building, searching for some clue as to what the robots had taken. Jinx simply stood there, staring in the direction Raven had gone.

"Jinx." She jumped as Robin tapped her. "Why did you come here?"

She gave him a lopsided grin. "Guess I have a nose for trouble. Call it bad luck, but I always seem to wind up in the middle of the heavy shit."

"Well, like I said, thanks." Robin looked up at where Raven and Starfire had gone. "If you don't mind my asking, what's going on between you and Raven?" Across the square, Beast Boy's ears perked up.

"She's my new bestest buddy. Why so interested?"

Robin turned back to her. "I'm just a little skeptical that you'd decide to just be friends with her without some kind of...angle."

"Angle?" Jinx affected a courtly air. "Good sir, thou do'est me too little credit. I assureth thee, mine intentions be as pure as new fallen snow." She finished with an elegant bow.

"Eh, right." Robin said disconcertedly. "I believe you."

"Well, I don't." Beast Boy snapped. "I'm watching you, bitch. Do anything to hurt her, and--"

"Beast Boy!" Robin cut him off. "Why don't you go help Cyborg." The green titan stalked off angrily.

Jinx shifted uncomfortably. "I think I better get out of here. I don't need an ass-kicking tonight."

"Yeah," Robin agreed. "He's been really on edge lately. I'm not so sure he wouldn't do it." Jinx turned to go. "For what it's worth, I support you and Raven."

She looked back at him. "Why?"

"It looks like you make her happier than she's been in a long time. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want that for her."

Jinx smiled slightly before jogging off.

---

"Friend Raven, are you sure you are well?" Starfire asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Yes, I'm fine." Raven replied patiently. She was trying to concentrate on her book, but Starfire kept hovering over her, asking her if she was alright, asking if she could get anything. It was getting a little tiring after so many repetitions. Thankfully, the doorbell rang, preventing Starfire from listing things Raven might possibly want that she could go get.

"Do not move, Raven! I'll get it!" The redheaded alien flew down the stairs.

If I tried, I'd probably have to wrestle you for it, she thought. The other three weren't back yet--Robin had called to tell them they were helping the police sort through the wreckage. It was just as well, Raven thought. My head hurts a bit, and those three would probably make so much noise it'd get worse.

Starfire slid open the door to find a bedraggled-looking Jinx standing there. It had started raining rather heavily since she and Raven had returned to the tower. Not to mention the choppy waves that had flipped Jinx's inflatable raft. "Hello!" Starfire greeted her with a wide smile.

"Hi...um, I just wanted to see how Raven was doing."

"Of course. You are welcome to come in." Not really giving her a choice, Starfire excitedly pulled her inside. "I wish to offer you my warmest thanks for your assistance in the battle."

"I...it was nothing really."

Starfire half-dragged Jinx into the living room. "Raven, the jinxed one is here to see you."

Raven leaped up from the couch, causing her head to swim. Something of her unsteadiness must have shown, because Jinx and Starfire both rushed to her side. "I'm fine," she said, waving off their offers of help. "I'm not made of glass, you know," she growled.

Jinx gave Raven a hug anyways. "I was concerned about you, okay?"

Chills went up the psion's spine as Jinx pressed her wet body against her. "Is it raining outside, or did you swim here?"

Stepping back, Jinx replied, "A little from column A, a little from column B."

The exchange was lost on Starfire. "Is it not true that earthlings get 'the chills' whenever they are cold and wet?"

"Yeah. You should change out of those wet clothes," said Raven. "Come on." Raven led Jinx back to her room, pulling out a spare set of pajamas for her. "You should probably crash here."

"Are you sure you aren't just trying to get me into bed?" Jinx asked mischeviously. Raven kissed her quickly as a response, then led her out of the room.

"Shower's down the hall," she said, giving Jinx a little push. The pink-haired girl winked at her, then skipped into the bathroom. Raven went into the kitchen and started boiling water for tea. "Kori, what do you think of Jinx?"

Starfire smiled at the nickname Raven used when they talked. "Rae, she seems to care deeply for you." She gave Raven a brief hug from behind. "I am very happy that you have made friends with her. Perhaps she will not do battle with us?"

"She wants to change, Kori. She told me so." Raven turned to face her. "She just doesn't know how." She hesitated, then added, "I asked her if she wanted to join the Titans."

"This is wonderful news!" Starfire bounced excitedly. "I am sure she will be a welcome teammate."

Raven stared into space. "I'm worried about what Beast Boy will do. I doubt he's going to want her here."

Starfire's brows furrowed. "Beast Boy is upset, but I am sure he will reconsider his words. We are his friends, surely he will trust our word that Jinx desires to do good."

I hope so, Raven thought as Jinx padded into the room. She looked much happier fresh out of the shower. "Want something to drink?" Raven asked, smiling.

"You have hot chocolate and marshmallows, right?" Raven nodded. "Cool cool!" Jinx started making her drink, pouring around a dozen spoonfuls of sugar into her mug, then dumping almost half the bag of marshmallows on top of it. Scooping up the ones that fell on the counter, she hopped onto the couch, miraculously not spilling her drink.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Do you want a little hot chocolate with your sugar and marshmallows?" She brought her own mug of tea over and sat next to Jinx.

"I like sugar," Jinx replied. "I think they put crack in it, that's why I can't stop eating it."

Starfire suppressed a jaw-cracking yawn. "I think I am going to go to sleep now. Goodnight, friend Raven and friend Jinx." She floated off to her room.

Raven watched Jinx devour her marshmallows and start guzzling the sludgy drink. "So, did you think about what I asked you earlier?"

"What, about joining?" Jinx swallowed some of the sugar at the bottom of her mug. "I didn't have a lot of time to, but I talked to Robin after you left, and I got the impression he'd be okay with it."

"Starfire said she'd be fine with it, too."

"Really, now." Jinx emptied her mug and started tossing it up and catching it. "But I'm pretty sure Beast Boy hates me."

"He's jealous of you." Raven sighed. "He's always thought there was more between us than there actually is. I think he'll get over it in a few days."

"Sounds like I may get in after all," Jinx said. Grinning, she flipped upside-down on the couch. "I feel pretty good about this. Making new friends, having people tell me they accept me...I'm not really used to it, is all."

"I know what you mean."

Hmm, that sugar's starting to kick in. Gotta find a way to burn off all this energy...Heh heh. Smiling devilishly, Jinx jumped up, placing her face inches from Raven's. "Ravy...are you ticklish, by any chance?"

--- 


	6. Two Hearts

Chapter 6-Two Hearts

"Man, what a night," Beast Boy muttered as he trudged up the stairs.

"At least we got a list of everything they stole." Robin put in.

Cyborg grinned. "Yeah, and I'm gonna start analyzing those robots first thing in the morning."

"Cyborg's excited about his new toys," Robin joked.

As the three of them walked down the hall towards the living room, they heard a good deal of giggling and squeaking. Walking in to find the source of which was none other than the normally so reserved Raven, who was being mercilessly tickled by Jinx.

"I give up!..Heehee stoppit!"

"Say uncle!"

"Uncle uncle uncle!"

"Now say Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers!"

"Peter..p-pip..no fair!"

"Say it, or I'll tickle you to death!"

"Nonononononononono!"

Robin cleared his throat loudly. "Um, guys?"

Raven gasped and sat bolt upright, trying to fix her hair while turning bright red. Jinx peered at them over the back of the couch. "Hihi there! I was just havin' a little fun with Ravy here. She's sooooooooo ticklish."

Robin shook his head and tried to hide a smile. Ravy? "I take it you're spending the night here?"

Raven replied breathlessly. "Y-yeah, her clothes were soaked and it's really bad out, so I thought..." She trailed off embarassedly. Beast Boy growled and stomped to his room.

"That's fine," Robin said. "You're welcome to stay here, Jinx."

Cyborg turned to leave. "I'm gonna hit the hay, dude. Night everyone."

Robin stretched. "Yeah, I'm about ready for bed, too." He took a few steps toward the door.

"Robin, wait." Raven got up and rounded the couch, smooth serenity once more except for the slight flush in her cheeks. "I wanted...er, we wanted to ask you if Jinx could join the Teen Titans."

Jinx hopped over the couch, adding, "I'm tired of hiding all the time, and surviving from crime to crime and being poor and starving inbetween. I'm sick of getting tossed in jail." She ran her fingers through her messy hair. "I admire what you guys do, the way you look out for everyone and each other. I hate living by looking out for myself and taking advantage of people. Please, I really want to be a titan." Wow, did I just say all that? But it's all the truth, isn't it. Being a criminal sucks, and I do admire how they stick up for each other. I really do wanna change, especially for her.

Robin appeared a little surprised by this speech. "I can't make a decision right now without getting everyone's opinion. How about we bring it up tomorrow morning?"

Raven and Jinx agreed, and they all went to their respective bedrooms, Raven and Jinx both going into Raven's room.

---

Jinx turned in a slow circle, examining the room. "Ooh, the inner sanctum of the dreaded Raven, feared by criminals the world over. Who knows what dark secrets reside in its hidden recesses? Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only the Shadow knows!"

"You don't have to keep proving your insanity, you know." Raven smirked. "I'm sure everyone that knows you is quite sure of it."

But Jinx had bounded into the closet and was now rooting through Raven's clothes. She emerged wearing one of Raven's cloaks with the hood up. "Look at me, I'm Raven! I'm scary and I like pie!" She started bouncing on the bed. "I can fly around and I say magicy words like bathroom mat meatball sub dingoes! I--oof!" Raven slammed her onto the bed, holding her fast with her powers, then climbed on top of her.

"You're asking for trouble." The effectiveness of the threat was dimmed due to the smile plastered on Raven's face.

Jinx looked at her slyly. "Whatcha gonna do, spank me?"

Raven sighed. "No, you'd like that too much." She sat up and released Jinx from her psychic hold. "Put it back, please."

The pink-haired girl tossed the cloak back into the closet and put her arms around Raven from behind. "Sorry if I'm being annoying. I'm still really wired."

"Don't apologize." Raven twisted to look at her. "I'm just worn out."

Jinx flopped backwards on the bed. "Then fallest ye into mine arms and let me ease thy sorrows, light of my heart," she declared in her courtly voice.

Raven lay down next to her. "You can be really sweet when you're crazy."

"That's me!" Jinx declared, flinging an arm on top of the psion. "A sweet and cuddly little toxic angel."

"Mmm, you're more of a sugar demon," Raven said as she pulled the blanket over them.

"I like that! Can that be my new nickname? I'll be the sugar demon and you can be my Ravy."

"Whatever you say, sugar demon..." Raven slid close, pressing her lips lightly against Jinx's. The kiss firmed up quickly, leading to more intense kisses. She tastes like sugary chocolate, Raven mused. Not surprising, but it suits her. Raven started kissing her way down Jinx's jaw to her neck. Jinx moaned softly as she started nibbling.

"Come on, bite harder," Jinx urged. "Leave a few teeth marks." Raven complied, sliding a hand up Jinx's chest to squeeze her breasts. Jinx gasped as pain blended sweetly with pleasure. She ran her fingers through her lover's hair, breathing hard. The purple-haired empath explored the contours of Jinx's chest, thumbing her nipples erect. Raven then reached her hand below Jinx's waistline, caressing the silky triangle. The sugar demon's hips started gyrating against the touch as Raven slid two fingers inside her. Her moans rose in intensity as pleasure spread through her body. Raven responded by rubbing herself against the other girl's leg, sending ripples of pleasure through her body.

Damn, this is so much better than I could have hoped for. She's fucking me! And it wasn't nearly this good when I pictured it earlier. Not even close. Jinx's thoughts cut off as she felt her climax approaching. She clutched Raven's back, arching off the bed and moaning. Her movements drove Raven's teeth further in, and Raven tasted salty, metallic blood before pulling away. She felt herself climax seconds after Jinx did. Jinx shuddered as the spasms subsided, and lowered herself back onto the bed, as Raven buried her head in Jinx's chest with a contented sigh.

"Did I bite too hard? I think I drew blood."

Jinx laughed. "Nah, a little bleeding's what separates good sex from great sex." Actually, I just made that up, but I loved that biting.

"So, does this make us...um...girlfriends?" Raven lifted her head to look at Jinx.

"We did just fuck like a couple of lesbian weasels, so if you wanna be..."

"I think I do."

Jinx pulled her up for another kiss. "Then it's official. We are a couple." Raven smiled and snuggled closer. "Ravy?"

"Yeah?"

"I--I love you."

"...I love you, too."

---

"Particle accelerator, gene sequencer, nanobot designs, and navigation software. What's the connection?" Robin paced back and forth, reading the list over and over again. He had read it so many times that morning he could nearly recite it from memory. Still, he kept reading it, trying to determine why the robots had taken the things they had. Starfire watched him pace, trying to figure out why it was central to thinking. Beast Boy sprawled on the couch with the latest issue of Game Informer, since Robin's pacing was blocking the TV.

At the same time, Cyborg was disassembling the robots, looking first for some kind of manufacturer's label on any of the parts. The robots were fairly advanced, but their most noteworthy feature was their armor. As the Titans had discovered last night, it was incredibly resistant to any sort of damage, yet it was light and somewhat flexible once removed. "Whoever built these guys sure knew what they were doing," Cyborg muttered to himself as he worked. "No identifying marks other than the crest on the front, generic components and construction...I don't know if I'll be able to trace their source from their design."

Upstairs, Raven came out of her room a bit later than usual. She had been so comfortable she overslept, and Jinx was still asleep. Raven slipped into the kitchen to make herself her morning tea. Noticing Robin poring over the list of stolen goods, she walked over to the couch to observe. "You're gonna wear a hole in the floor."

Robin looked up from his pacing. "I think there's a pattern in what those robots took from Wayne Industries, as if someone was going to use them all for one purpose." He handed the list to her. "What do you think?"

Perusing the list, Raven replied, "Well, they're all experimental technologies, and..." She pursed her lips. "...they'd all have applications in colonizing another planet."

"Really? How so?" Robin cocked his head to the side.

"Navigation software to find a suitable planet, gene sequencer to store genetic information about plants and animals, nanobots to build the colony, and the particle accelerator...could be a power source." Raven shrugged. "It's just a theory, though."

"It is a sound theory," Starfire chimed in, "as my people consider similar technologies necessary for building colonies."

"Who'd wanna colonize another planet?" Beast Boy wondered.

"The theory makes sense, but there might be other reasons, too. And we have no idea as to who or why." Robin said. "We need more information."

Cyborg entered the room. "You're not gonna get much out of those robots," he stated. "They're too generically built for me to figure out who built them. The only thing exceptional about them is that armor."

Robin shook his head in frustration. "I guess the only thing we can do is keep our eyes open for them."

Jinx stumbled into the room, still in pajamas and with her hair sticking out in numerous directions. "Hey guys, did I miss breakfast?" She started canvassing the kitchen for something to eat.

"Oh, yeah, that reminds me." Robin said. "There was something I needed to get everyone's opinion on, but since it's Raven's suggestion I'll let her explain."

Raven stood and faced her teammates. "You all know by know that Jinx and I are friends." Beast Boy snorted, provoking a glare. "She wants to turn over a new leaf and give up crime. I trust her, and I believe she deserves a chance. What I'm asking is for Jinx to join the Teen Titans."

Starfire clapped her hands together. "Yes, Jinx will be a worthy addition to our team."

Cyborg scratched his head. "She did help us fight those robots, and if she really wants to change, it's only fair of us to give her a shot."

Beast Boy remained silent. "Beast Boy, what's on your mind?" Robin asked.

Shooting a dark look in Jinx's direction, he replied, "I don't trust her. Nobody goes from bad to good just like that."

"Raven has placed her trust in Jinx." Starfire placed a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "If we are truly Raven's friends, we must have faith in her judgement."

"Remember what I said the other day?" Cyborg added. The green changeling nodded grudgingly. "It'll be fine, man."

"...Okay, Jinx can join."

"Then it's settled," Robin smiled as Jinx wandered into the room, munching from a box of cereal. "Jinx, welcome to the Teen Titans."

Jinx's jaw dropped just before Starfire swept her up in a bone-crushing hug. "It is so good to have you with us, new friend Jinx!" Jinx made feeble gasping noises as her face started turning blue. Starfire released her embarassedly. "Sorry, I forget my strength at times."

"That's okay," Jinx managed to croak.

Cyborg clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Welcome to the team, bad luck charm." Jinx grinned at her old HIVE nickname.

Raven walked over to Beast Boy and tried to make eye contact. "I really appreciate you giving her a chance, Beast Boy." Giving him a brief hug, she added, "Thanks."

Beast Boy blushed at the attention, his anger fading. "Uhh, sure. No problem," he mumbled.

"So, Jinx. Do you want to live here at the tower, or do you have your own place?" Robin wondered.

"Well, I have an apartment, but I'm broke so I can't stay there." Jinx said sheepishly. "Do you guys even have spare rooms?"

"Plenty," Robin answered. "We can help you move in, too. Hang on a sec and I'll get you a communicator." He dashed off.

"We must have a celebration tonight in honor of our new friend!" Starfire declared, flying circles around the room. "A welcoming party!"

"A party doesn't sound so bad," Cyborg said. "We haven't trashed the place in a while. Kinda feels like we're overdue."

Robin returned as Cyborg was saying this. "Here you go," he said as he handed Jinx her communicator. She stared at it in awe. "Now, what about trashing the place?"

Starfire and Cyborg began bombarding Robin with party plans, and soon Beast Boy was caught up in the excitement. Jinx cradled the communicator in her hands. This is really cool, she thought. I'm official. I'm a Titan!

"It's not going to break from you holding it," Raven commented.

Jinx grinned. "I keep thinking this is all just a dream, and I'm going to wake up any minute."

"Trust me, it's real." Raven took Jinx in her arms. "As real as my feelings for you."

"Aww, Ravy, you're making me blush." They were suddenly aware of the silence in the room as everyone looked at them oddly. Raven turned red and dropped her hands.

Starfire floated over. "Raven, are you and Jinx, as they say on Earth, 'gay'?"

Raven's face made sunsets look dim, and Jinx felt color rising in her cheeks as well. Jinx took a deep breath before answering, "Yes, we are."

"And might I add that it's rude to ask someone that directly, Star." Raven said, trying to regain her composure.

Starfire looked abashed. "I apologize for my rudeness. But this is wonderful! Tonight I shall prepare a Gathnrap for you!"

"Which is...?" Raven arched an eyebrow.

"It is a traditional Tamaranean marriage feast!"

Jaws dropped around the room.

"M--MARRIAGE!" Raven and Jinx sputtered. Beast Boy and Cyborg erupted in laughter, and Robin tried valiantly to hold his back.

Starfire blinked repeatedly, trying to figure out what she had missed. "Have I misunderstood?"

Raven took a deep breath. "Well, kinda...let's just say that marriage is...not exactly involved here."

Jinx giggled. "Hey, I think it's not such a bad idea." She dropped to one knee in front of Raven. "Oh Raven, will you marry me?" She grabbed the box of cereal she had dropped. "I don't have a ring, so here's a Cheerio." Raven stared at her in a state of flustered shock. Beast Boy and Cyborg had just barely recovered when this happened, and seeing Jinx hand Raven a Cheerio drove them over the edge again. Robin failed to hold back his laughter this time and wound up rolling on the floor with the others. And Starfire just stood there, completely baffled.

--- 


	7. Wounds

Chapter 7-Wounds

I know how to do it. One cut, that's all it would take. Two would be better, but one's enough. Cut, then maybe half an hour of bleeding, then it's over. But I can't. All I can do is these little pussy cuts that only bleed a little unless I keep digging. None of this will kill me. I know my limits. I need to find a bigger knife.

You know it's all your fault.

If you can't come up with anything new to say, shut the hell up.

She's gone, and she's never coming back.

She'll come back sooner or later. I'm no use, but maybe the others...

It doesn't matter. She won't want you anyways. You're worthless.

That's why I'm doing this.

Nothing but bad luck. What good are you? You can't help anyone. You're a fucking idiot for thinking you could ever change.

Maybe I should jump off instead.

You don't have the guts, you stupid slut bitch piece of shit. You can't even cut yourself deep enough.

I can cut myself deeper. The pain is all I deserve now.

You're damn right. Drive that knife in deep, bleed all over their nice clean roof.

Carve her name into your arm. Remember the agony of losing her every time you look at it.

Kill yourself, you worthless piece of fucking shit. You're nothing. You've always been nothing. There's nothing good about you, you're just a walking pile of wasted space. Everyone would be so much happier if you died. You're nothing but a burden.

Kill yourself.

KILL YOURSELF.

KILL YOURSELF!

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She curled into a ball on the roof of Titans Tower, sobbing, trying frantically to cover her ears, to block out the voices. They were stronger than ever since Raven's disappearance, stronger now than when she had come into her powers. She rocked back and forth, chuckling and sobbing. She started humming a little ditty she had made up years ago.

"Bad luck, bad luck.  
You are such a useless fuck."

Remembering always hurts. Especially this...

---

"Titans, GO!" The now six superpowered teens raced into the darkened museum, fannig out through the lobby. Everything was completely undisturbed, oddly.

"So, if this was supposed to be a robbery, where's the robber?" Beast Boy wondered.

Cyborg checked a panel on his arm. "No one was able to get an ID, he only triggered the silent alarm."

"This situation seems most familiar. Has this not happened before?" Starfire asked.

Robin growled. "I was wondering when he'd be back." Raising his voice, he called, "Slade! Stop hiding!"

"Why, Robin. You know full well I don't hide." Slade stepped out from the shadows behind them. Oddly, he was covered from neck to feet in a slightly ragged brown cloak.

Robin stepped towards him. "What are you planning now, you bastard?"

"Such language. You really must learn to be more polite!" On the last word, Slade rushed him. Robin flipped backwards, dodging Slade's strike. He halted in shock at seeing Slade's arm. It was covered entirely by a hideous, thobbing mass of demonic flesh, spikes protruding at the joints. It ended in a set of massive, two foot long claws. Slade flund his cloak to the ground, revealing that both of his arms were in the same state, and a pair of batlike wings lay folded on his back. "Surprised?"

"Wh...what the hell happened to you?"

"I have my secrets, Robin. Suffice it to say that I'm not the same man I used to be."

Robin charged with a wordless roar, and the other Titans jumped into the fray soon after. Slade seemed more powerful than ever, dodging attacks with a lazy grace that seemed effortless, flinging his adversaries all over the room with powerful blows.

This is impossible! Raven thought as she flew across the room, seeking an opening. Slade looks like he's been infested by a demonic parasite, but it's strengthened him instead of weakening! How? Abruptly she crashed to the ground, bleeding from a deep gash in her leg from Slade's claws.

"Is this the best you can do?" Slade seemed amused. "Six on one, and you can't touch me. Pathetic." He punctuated this declaration with a vicious kick to Starfire's midsection, slamming her into a display case.

Jinx picked herself up from where Slade had knocked her, taking in the losing battle. Slade had Robin by the neck and looked to be strangling him. Starfire was just groggily rising, Beast Boy was unconscious, Raven was collapsed in a small heap on the floor, and Cyborg was nowhere in sight. Shit, we're dead. Unless...Jinx dashed to a nearby mirror, the beginnings of an idea forming in her head. She kicked the mirror, shattering it. Hope this works...Jinx's eyes glowed solid pink as she felt the bad luck flow into her.

"I'm afraid your time is up, Robin," Slade gloated as he tightened his grip on Robin's throat. A tremendous cracking sound rang out from above him. He looked up to see cracks weaving their way through the ceiling.

Jinx stepped out in front of him, glowing with pink energy. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" With a tremendous roar, the roof of the museum collapsed.

Cyborg shoved a chunk of building off of his legs and climbed unsteadily to his feet. What the hell? Was there an earthquake? Something moved under a pile of rubble Cyborg ran over to it and started lifting pieces of rock, uncovering a battered Beast Boy.

"Anyone get the number of that truck?" He mumbled as he stood up. Blood was running down his face from a gash on top of his head.

"You okay?"

Beast Boy shook his head dazedly. "I think so...where's everybody else?"

More rocks heaved up, revealing Starfire and Robin. The four of them quickly dug through the rubble to find Raven and Jinx. Both had been knocked out cold from the collapsing ceiling. "Let's get back to the tower," Robin said. "We need to figure out what that was all about."

---

Jinx's eyes fluttered open. "Oww..."

"Hey, you're awake," Beast Boy grinned. "We were starting to think you were dead."

She sat up slowly, taking in the environs of the infirmary. "What happened to Slade?"

"We don't know. Robin's down there searching for him, but we didn't see him after the roof caved." Beast Boy scratched his head. "Did you see how that happened? I think I was out."

Jinx swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Yeah, umm...I did that."

"What! How!"

"I broke a mirror." Beast Boy stared at her confusedly as she stood up. "So, how's everyone else?"

"We're all fine now," he continued in a more sheepish tone. "Look, I wanted to apologize for how I treated you. I was being stupid, and...You're on the team, so I want to be friends."

"Um, apology accepted, B."

"Come on, let's go find the others." He led her out of the room and into the living room, where Raven and Cyborg were waiting.

Raven had Jinx wrapped in a relieved hug before she could take two steps into the room. "I was so worried," she whispered.

"I'm okay, Ravy," Jinx whispered back, then said in a louder voice, "So what's going on?"

Cyborg shook his head. "We've got no idea. Robin and Starfire are digging through the wreckage for some kinda clue, or hopefully a body. But we're trying to figure out why Slade was there in the first place."

"He didn't look like that the last time I saw him!" Beast Boy cried. "He was like something out of a horror movie!"

"As far as I could tell, Slade was infested with a demonic parasite." Raven explained. "Normally, a creature like that saps the host's strength continuously until death. But it looked like it was making him stronger." Her brow furrowed in consternation. "I've never heard of anything like that."

"Whatever Slade's got attatched to him, he's still out there," Robin announced as he and Starfire entered the room. Both of them were covered in dirt and dust. "We couldn't find any trace of him."

"Jinx, how did you collapse the roof?" Starfire wondered.

"About that..." Jinx rubbed her head ruefully. "I broke a mirror nearby, and that amplified my powers until something extremely unlucky happened. I mean, the roof falling on you for no reason is pretty bad luck, right?"

"Bad luck for all of us," said Beast Boy.

"Well, it's not really something I can control well." Jinx retorted. "Sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of."

"It was pretty drastic, but Slade might have been hurt pretty badly." Cyborg mused. "And none of us were badly hurt."

"He got away," Robin said, half to himself. "I'll find him no matter what." He smacked his fist into his palm before stalking off.

"He seems...pissed." Jinx observed.

"Robin hates Slade." Raven stated simply. "Sometimes he gets pretty obsessive about it."

"Last time he got obsessive, he didn't sleep and started hallucinating," Beast Boy added.

"Yikes." Jinx grimaced. "First those robots and now this."

"You know what they say," Beast Boy joked. "It's not just a job, it's an adventure!"

---

You are useless! Worthless! Nobody loves you!

"Why do you keep saying that? Do you think you can break me?"

You're already broken.

"I can't stand listening to your voice."

But Jinx, it's your voice. Even in denying me, you prove me right.

"Get out of my head."

You know how to end it. Do it. Pick up the knife.

"No..."

Pick it up, bitch. It's the only way to end the pain.

"I won't."

Kill your worthless self.

"But Raven...she wouldn't want that."

Please. She WANTS you to die. You're just a burden on her. You make her worry and cry and feel like shit. She'll be happier without you around.

"No...she loves me..."

Yeah, right. No one loves you.

The knife plunged in and out again and again. She wasn't even conscious of what she was doing. The only thing she knew was the pain of a broken heart and the voices screaming in her head. Blood mingled with tears on the roof underneath her.

---

Raven tossed and turned on her bed. Sleep was the last thing on her mind. She couldn't stop going over the details of the night's battle with Slade. Jinx was absent from her bed tonight, pleading exhaustion from the fight. In the week since she had moved in, this would be the first night Jinx had actually slept in her own room. It's just as well, Raven thought. I want to try to figure this out, and she can be very...distracting. Frustrated, Raven sat up and grabbed a nearby book, poring over the same pages she'd been reading all evening. She angrily ran her fingers through her hair. Dammit, there's nothing like what Slade had in here! It can't have been a parasite, so what was it?

Raven stood up and faced her mirror, staring into her own violet eyes. Always more questions than answers. What am I going to do? Her reflection studied her silently, then grinned crookedly. Wait, what? I didn't smile! But her reflection was moving on its own now, its features distorted and ran together like wax dripping down from a lit candle. Raven stepped back warily as the figure in the mirror changed to a familiar visage.

"Slade..."

Raven screamed as an arm shot out and seized her by the throat. Her face rushed towards the mirror...

Beast Boy sat up sharply in his bed. Did I just hear Raven scream? Something's wrong. He sped down the hall, stopping in front of Raven's room. Wait, what if she's in there...with Jinx? Sweet...but I probably shouldn't just walk in, then.

"Raven? You okay in there?" He called through the door as he knocked. No answer. Beast Boy took a deep breath, screwed his eyes shut, and slid the door open."LookI'mreallysorryifI'm interruptinganythingIshouldn'tseebutIheardascreamandIwantedtomakesureyouwereokayplease don'tkillme!" He babbled, then stopped as he realized the room was empty. "Raven?" Taking a step forward, he jumped as something sharp pricked his foot. "The hell?"

The large mirror over the dresser was broken. It had sprayed shards of glass all over the floor and dresser. Beast Boy turned and headed for Jinx's room. "Jinx? You in there?" He hammered on the door frantically, tact forgotten.

The door levered open. Jinx stood there sleepily. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Is Raven in there with you?" Beast Boy asked, trying to peer past her into the dark room.

"No, why do you ask?"

"I heard her scream and she's not in her room."

"What!" Jinx snapped awake and ran past him to Raven's room. She halted as she saw the broken mirror, and cautiously stepped over the broken glass to the frame.

Beast Boy appeared in the doorway. "Did you find something?"

Jinx studied the shattered mirror. Most of the glass was still in the frame, there was just one spot where it looked like something had rammed into it. "Get everyone else up. I think I can figure something out from this mirror."

"Okay."

Momentarily, the Titans were assembled outside of Raven's door. Robin stepped into the room, seeing Jinx gripping the sides of the mirror and staring deeply into the broken glass. "Do you know what happened to Raven?"

"I can almost see...Raven. A mask appeared, and then...something...grabbed her, pulled her in...she's in pain," she finished firmly.

"Can you see who did it? Or where they took her?" Robin asked urgently.

"That mask...Slade!" Jinx gasped out, letting go of the mirror. "Slade pulled her through the mirror somehow!"

"What!" Robin looked shocked for a moment, then his face darkened with rage. "What does he want with her now? He's not Trigon's servant anymore!"

"We can't be too sure of that," Cyborg put in. "He did look pretty demonic, after all. Maybe he made another bargain with some sort of demon?"

"Who cares about that! Raven just got kidnapped!" Jinx cried.

"Do not worry, Jinx. We shall find her." Starfire put a comforting hand on Jinx's shoulder.

"Everybody get dressed. We're going out to search for her." Robin ordered.

--- 


	8. Blood

Chapter 8-Blood

Raven shuddered in the cold as her eyelids lifted. The room was dark, the walls were worked stone. She shifted, feeling the strange weight at her wrists. Sharp points dug into her head in a circle. She glanced up to see she was bound by metal shackles, standing upright against the slick wall. She strained at her bonds. She shivered again, then realized she was naked!

That's it, I'm getting out of here. "Azerath metrion ZINTHOS!" She focused her energy in an attempt to break the shackles--but nothing happened. Concerned, she tried again. Nothing. Frantically, she lashed out with everything she could muster, producing absolutely no result. She yanked at her chains again uselessly. Raven choked back a sob of despair, then started breathing deeply and slowly, trying to calm herself. I can't panic. If I panic, I'll never get out of here.

"That's it, struggle. It is so amusing to watch someone with no hope fight against the inevitable." Raven gasped as Slade melted out of the shadows. There was no sign of any demonic limbs anywhere. He looked normal, except for the malevolent green light that emanated from his eye.

"What do you want from me? And what happened to the demon parasite?"

"Demon parasite? I've never had one," Slade said conversationally as he stepped closer. "As for what I want from you..." She flinched as he stroked her cheek. "I want nothing more from you than to make you suffer." He drew his hand back quickly as she snapped at him. "Feisty, aren't we. I'll have fun breaking you." He walked halfway across the room and stood with his back to her. "I'm sure you've noticed that your powers don't work. That's due to the lovely little device I placed on your head." Raven was conscious of the points digging into her head. "It also has another function.." He trailed off, drawing a long knife from a sheath on his leg. Slade whirled and threw the dagger, the point burying itself in Raven's right eye.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Slade chuckled. "The Crown of Torment won't let you pass out from pain, nor will it allow you to die. Your eye will grow back after I remove my knife." He seized the hilt and twisted it viciously, provoking another scream from Raven. "Oh, yes, this will be fun, little Raven."

---

Jinx sat on the roof of the tower, staring at the sunrise. Things had been going horribly since Raven's disappearance three days ago. Robin was constantly searching the city for signs of Slade, not even taking time to eat or sleep save when Starfire forced him to. Beast Boy took out his frustrations in the gym while Cyborg studied every scrap of the robots, trying to find any sort of clue. It wouldn't have been so bad if there had been some crime, some villians to take out anger on, but absolutely nothing had happened in Jump City lately.

Hello, Jinx.

"Great. This is just what I need, for my schizo side to flare up again."

You know you can't get rid of us. We're inside your head.

"I'm really not in the mood for this."

Shut up, you stupid dyke whore! You don't know anything! No one cares what you think!

"Stop yelling at me!"

It's your fault Raven's gone! You're nothing but bad luck! You don't deserve her!

"It was Slade, not me!"

It was your bad luck! Why else would there be a broken mirror?

"I'm not listening to you."

You can't do anything right. Why don't you do the world a big favor and die?

"Lalalalalalalala..."

The knife.

"Not again...please..." She picked it up. She couldn't stop herself as she made the first cut.

I know how to do it. One deep cut, that's all it would take...

---

How long had it gone on? Hours? Days? The pain didn't stop, he made sure of that. The first few times after she closed her eyes, he drove tiny nails into them to keep them open. He would force her to watch him carve her up. He would cut and say, "Do you see?" Cut and say, "Do you see?" Blood everywhere, and every second of it she was awake. She couldn't even sleep. The most shocking torture came during the time he'd cracked her ribcage open. Words failed to express the horror she felt watching him rip out her still-beating heart and squeeze it into unidentifiable goo, only to have it slowly and painfully regrow inside her chest. He'd take some of her intestines and tie them around her neck, then just watch as her lungs withered and died. It seemed like he'd managed to mutilate every organ in her body a few times, to say nothing of the broken bones that took hours to reset themselves, the braided cords of flesh he made into bracelets and necklaces for her, the obscenities carved into her over and over again, the time he drowned her in her own blood by stuffing her mangled heart down her throat...It was maddening.

Raven couldn't really say how she held onto sanity. The times when he left her alone in the dark were the only reprieve she got, and those came seldom. Her best defense was to retreat, to gather all of her conscious mind and bundle it into the back of her head, far from having to witness her own torture. She mostly dwelt there, only coming back to reality far enough to fool Slade into thinking she was paying attention when he wanted. All the while she planned Slade's death, how she would pay him back for everything he'd ever done. She knew that killing him would cross a line, change things in a way that couldn't be undone, but part of her simply didn't care. Murder would change her forever, and she hated herself for considering her father's methods, but the thought was all she could do to stop from giving in to despair.

Time passed.

He'd been gone for a while, longer than usual. He'd left her almost whole, as well. Even the nails in her eyelids were gone. Her throat burned from dyness. The last liquid she'd had was her blood, and it had dried stickily in her throat. Her eyelids felt covered in rust, her head swam from exhaustion and blood loss. Slade's remarks to her just before he left currently occupied her thoughts. "When I come back, we're going to play with fire," he'd said. Oh god, please let this end. I can't take it! It hurts...She closed her eyes and hung her head limply, fighting back sobs. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry again, especially when he wasn't doing anything to her. Someone stepped into the room then, and she raised her head weakly.

The figure that approached her was short and slim, far too small to be her captor. "Funny thing running into you here," a feminine voice reached her. The girl stepped forward and started fiddling with Raven's shackles. She blinked dazedly. My mind has to be going. That can't possibly be who I think it is. Her hand fell to her side as the manacle opened and her rescuer began working on the other one.

"Who are you?" Raven managed to croak out.

"Almost got it...there!" Raven slumped forward, unable to stand properly. The other girl caught her and lowered her gently to the floor. Concerned blue eyes studied her. "Rest here for a minute, I'll be right back." The girl left quickly, and Raven tried weakly to sit up. She could barely summon the strength to lift her head. After several minutes, the girl returned, carefully draping a blanket over Raven's battered body, and lifting her head up gently. "Drink this." Raven sucked at the water in the jug being held to her lips. It stung horribly going down, but her thoat felt a bit better afterwards.

Raven turned her head akwardly, trying to get a good look at the other girl. "Why are you helping me? Why not just escape?"

The girl snorted. "You think I'm going to let that filthy bastard keep one of my old friends?"

"What?" Raven painfully levered herself into a semi-sitting position. She was still being supported, but she was able to see the other girl clearly. The long blond hair, boyish build, youthful, innocent features. A girl she'd thought was dead, someone she never thought she'd see again. "T--Terra?"

Terra grinned suddenly. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Sort of. Didn't you have amnesia?"

The other girl looked away, features hidden by a wave of blond hair. "I did, but apparently Slade wasn't satisfied with leaving me alone. I remembered everything while he was torturing me." She turned back to Raven. "But we can catch up later. We gotta get out of here." Raven nodded agreement, and Terra pulled her to her feet. They managed to stagger akwardly into the hall.

"How do we get out of here?" Raven wondered.

"Don't worry," Terra said. "We're underground right now, so the ball's in my court." She gestured with her free hand, enveloped in a yellow glow. The section of floor they were standing on broke free and began drifting upwards. At the same time, the stone above them opened into a tunnel, and they shot through it rapidly.

Daylight was a shock for both of them, and Terra nearly dumped them on the ground. She did manage to set the chunk of rock down gently and seal up the tunnel they had come from.

"Now what?" Terra sounded frustrated. Desert stretched from horizon to horizon. The sun baked them mercilessly, and nothing of civilization could be seen.

Raven had scrunched her eyes closed almost as soon as they had come out. "I can teleport us home once this crown's off." She reached for it shakily, but Terra stopped her.

"Once you take that thing off, all the fatigue will catch up to you." Terra shook her head. "You'll be out for hours. At least, I was when I got mine off. We should find a good place to rest first." The slab of rock lifted off the ground again.

Raven felt Terra tense. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure he can't follow us," she replied. The ground nearby simply...collapsed with a roar and a cloud of dust, burying Slade's underground lair. "Hopefully he was still in there," Terra growled as their stone platform skimmed away.

---

Several miles away and several hours later, a small fire burned under a rocky outcrop. Night had fallen and so had the temperature. Raven lay on the ground, resting. Since the crown had come off she hadn't gotten any stronger. Fortunately, Terra knew how to camp in the desert. They'd most likely be able to make it back in the morning.

Terra sat across from her, staring into the fire. "You don't trust me."

Raven stirred and propped herself up on her elbows. "Why do you think that?"

"You never did, right?" She smirked ruefully. "Even when you had no reason to distrust me, you did. That's just how you are. I know how suspicious this must look. I mean, what are the odds I'd just happen to remember everything when I was captured by Slade, and that I'd just happen to be able to rescue you?"

"When you put it like that, it does sound suspicious, but..." Raven paused. "I don't think you're a spy or anything. If Slade wanted to use you like that, there are much easier ways to infiltrate."

Terra raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"I guess I'm not as paranoid as I used to be." She shrugged slightly. "Things have changed since you've been gone."

"I know some of it. About Trigon, the Brotherhood...at least some of it."

"How?" Interested, Raven sat up fully.

Terra looked at her through the flames. "When I was a statue, I could still hear and see. I was aware of everything that went on around me. Every time Beast Boy visited me, he'd tell me what was going on with you guys."

Raven studied her. "How did you get free?"

"Actually, it was because Beast Boy made me cry. Or feel like I needed to, anyways."

"Let me guess, he told you a really bad joke."

She shook her head, then stared up at the night sky. "He...told me he loved me. When he said how much he missed me..." She appeared to be holding back tears. "I wanted to make him stop crying, but I couldn't. After he left, somehow I started to cry myself, and the next thing I remember is waking up in a normal bedroom, getting ready for normal school. No idea how it happened."

"I didn't know he felt that way about you," Raven remarked.

"Don't tell him I said that," Terra said, meeting her eyes. "I don't think he wanted anyone to know. It kinda surprised me, too. I mean, I always figured you and him were...y'know. Doing it."

Raven paled. "Okay, regardless of anything he's ever claimed, I have never done it with Beast Boy, I have never wanted to do it with Beast Boy, I never will do it with Beast Boy, and I think I just gagged on my tounge." She grimaced and swallowed hard. "Besides, I'm...taken."

Terra sat up straight, leaning forward excitedly. "No way! Who is it? Anyone I know?"

Raven blushed slightly. "Well, you remember Jinx, right?"

"That crazy pink-haired chick? You mean you're..." Raven nodded. "That's kinda surprising."

"What? Do you have a problem with it?"

"Nope." Terra grinned. "Actually, I had a sneaking suspicion you were like that. I just meant it's surprising you're out of the closet." Raven growled, and Terra put up her hands defensively. "Hey, no offense. I'm just saying you're usually very secretive about personal stuff."

Raven lay down cautiously. "She's a Titan now."

"That's pretty cool. Does that mean I'll have a good chance of getting back on the team?"

Raven gave her a flat look. "You're still on the team, remember? Besides, I don't think you could stay off the team if you tried." She rolled onto her side. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Teleporting as far as we have to takes a lot of energy."

Terra lay down on the other side of the fire. "Right. Good night."

"Night."

---

Jinx was sitting on the roof again, one leg dangling over the edge. She had wrapped her arms in cloth, hoping no one would notice the wounds. Perhaps it was a good thing that everyone seemed to be avoiding each other. Shouting matches were common, mostly involving Robin and Beast Boy, although last night's arguement was still fresh in everyone's mind. Starfire had gotten mad and chucked Robin and Beast Boy out into the harbor to stop their arguing. Everyone was walking on eggshells after that particular incident.

So, are you going to use that knife you're playing with?

"I still haven't healed from the last time. Why do you want me to do this?"

Why do you still listen?

"I bet the day I can answer that is the day I finally get rid of you." Jinx unwrapped her left arm and stared at the pattern of scars. She had tried to spell out 'Raven', but there were too many cuts for it to be clear. She drew the knife parallel to a long cut, creating a twin. Blood welled up.

The air behind her shimmered like heat waves in the summer sun. Jinx turned swiftly, holding the knife like she intended to use it. Familiar dark energy coalesced and flickered, forming into shapes. Terra stood uncertainly on the roof, supporting Raven. Jinx stared at them in total shock.

"That didn't take as much out of me as I thought," Raven commented. The knife clattered to the ground, and Raven and Terra turned towards the sound.

"R--Raven?" Jinx flung herself forward, knocking them both onto the ground. "You're back! I missed you so much!" She sobbed into Raven's shoulder. "Where were you..."

"Ow. Someone's happy to see me." Raven patted Jinx's back akwardly. "Can we get up now?"

"Would you two lovebirds get off me!" Terra squirmed, trying to get free. Somehow, they managed to stand up, although Jinx didn't let go of Raven the whole time.

Raven felt a familiar wet stickiness on Jinx's arm. She lifted it, seeing the crisscrossing cuts. "Did you do this to yourself?" Jinx nodded, avoiding Raven's eyes. Spots appeared in her vision suddenly. It took her a moment to realize Raven had slapped her. The empath's voice was ice. "You will not do that again. Ever."

Terra flinched. "Yeow. Was that necessary?"

"I have no tolerance for that sort of behavior," Raven replied coldly, not taking her eyes off Jinx. She cupped Jinx's chin gently and looked at her. "Hurting yourself never helps. Believe me."

"I know, but..." She was interrupted by a shocked gasp from behind them. Beast Boy stood on the roof with his jaw hanging to his knees.

Terra smiled at him. "This is the first time we've seen each other in how long, and all you can do is stare at me?" He responded by tackling her exuberantly. "Gah! How many times am I gonna get jumped today?"

"Well, Starfire still has to say hi, so probably one more." Raven smirked.

"I did kinda miss getting hugged to death." Terra answered.

Jinx buried her head in Raven's shoulder. She's back. Everything's gonna be okay now. Raven's okay!

--- 


	9. Progress

Chapter 9-Progress

"...and here we are," Raven finished lamely. The seven Titans were assembled in the living room, listening to Raven and Terra explain what had happened. Both of them had exchanged their tattered makeshift coverings for real clothes, and although there hadn't yet been time to shower, Raven still felt better than she had in days. Jinx refused to let go of her for more than a minute. Beast Boy had stopped hugging Terra, but true to form, Starfire had nearly broken both her and Terra's ribs the minute they'd come in.

"It's great that you guys escaped." Robin had felt an enormous weight lift from his shoulders when they had come in, but Slade was still unaccounted for. "Do you know where it was?"

"Someplace in Nevada, I think." Terra spoke up. "Out in the middle of the desert. Anyway, it's not like we can go search the place, even if we could find it."

"I still don't see what's up with Slade," Cyborg said. "First he's demonic, then he glows green. What does he want?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Does anyone have any ideas?" Robin asked the room.

"All he said was that he wanted to make us suffer." Raven shook her head. "But I think there may be more than one of him."

"That's it! Clones!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "No, wait, evil twins from another dimension! No, time travel! Robots? Aliens?" His list of theories ran down and he started muttering to himself, trying to come up with something else.

"When I asked him about the demon parasite, he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about." Raven continued. "He could have been lying, but he seemed genuinely surprised when I asked him. How often do we see Slade act off-balance unless he actually is?"

"Good point." Robin rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I hate to say it, but it looks like we're stuck again. All we can do now is wait."

"Cheer up, Robin. Raven has returned, and our dear friend Terra has regained her memory." Starfire smiled brightly. "We have much to be joyous about."

"It's not every day someone comes back from the dead," Cyborg added.

"So, you're really back, right?" Beast Boy asked Terra. "You remember everything?"

Terra smiled faintly. "Yeah, I do. I even remember when I had amnesia."

"Why did you have amnesia?" Beast Boy wanted to know.

The blond girl looked away, half her face hidden in her hair. "Part of me...part of me didn't want to remember. I was ashamed of what I did." She stood up and walked to the window. "Every day I spent with you, I betrayed you. I gave Slade everything he needed to take you down. In the end, I nearly killed us all!" She shook her head. "I wanted to hide, pretend none of it ever happened. I knew no one would want me back after that."

"Just cuz it happened doesn't mean we wouldn't want you." Beast Boy put his hand on her shoulder. "You're our friend. You made some mistakes, but we forgive you"

Terra turned, searching the rest of the Titans for disagreement. All she saw were encouraging looks, trust and friendship in their eyes. "You'll have me back?"

It was Robin who answered. "We'd be honored to have you as a friend and teammate, Terra."

Her eyes clouded with joyous tears, and Beast Boy hugged her hard.

Raven turned towards the door. "Sorry to interrupt this touching moment, but I'm gonna go wash some of this dried blood off." She headed for the bathroom with Jinx at her heels.

---

The door slid shut behind her, then opened again. Jinx stood there, grinning insolently. "You know, I think I'm capable of showering without your help."

The pink-haired girl sauntered into the room. "Yeah, I know. But I just realized..." She slipped her arms around Raven's neck, popping the clasp on her cloak open and letting it drop to the floor. "...we haven't done it in the shower yet." Raven grinned as Jinx kissed her firmly, and fumbled with the buttons on Jinx's blouse. Raven dragged herself away briefly with her leotard hanging half off to turn the water on.

Raven flinched as the scalding water struck her abraded skin. The crown's effects hadn't left any scars or wounds, but she felt like she had been rubbed head to toe with sandpaper.

"You okay?" Jinx asked, seeing her flinch.

"Yeah, my skin's just tender." She pulled the other girl to her. "You'll have to be gentle with me."

Jinx nipped the tip of Raven's nose. "You know how hard that is for me. But I'll try my best." Jinx squeezed her ass firmly as their lips met. She pressed Raven back against the wall of the shower, exploring the contours of her breasts. Raven tilted her head back and moaned, her fingers tangled in Jinx's hair as she kissed her way down Raven's flat stomach.

The taste of her was sweet. Jinx settled down on her knees, wiping a few traces of blood from her lover's legs. She hungrily kissed away, eliciting more moans of excitement from Raven. Jinx slid one hand between her own legs, keeping time with the flickering of her tounge. Raven felt the familiar ripples of pleasure building up a scant few minutes later.

They both jumped as someone hammered on the door. "Hey, Raven? You done in there? You're not the only one who needs to wash some blood off, y'know."

Jinx giggled. "No, not done!" She cried in an almost passable imitation of Raven's voice. "We'll be out as soon as we finish fu--" Raven clapped a hand over Jinx's mouth.

"Okay, I didn't wanna know," Terra responded disconcertedly. "So, I'm gonna go throw up about something else now."

Raven fixed Jinx with an angry glare, but her heart wasn't in it. "I swear, you must enjoy embarassing me."

"Yeah, but I like doing this even more." What she did next cut off any further protests from Raven.

---

BWEEPBWEEPBWEEPBWEEPBWEEP!

A map of the city popped up on the main screen in the living room, as alarms went off throughout the tower. Seconds later, all the Titans were there, examining the flashing targets.

"Multiple sightings of those robots, all at warehouses where manufacturing components are stored." Cyborg pulled up the names and addresses quickly.

Robin smacked his fist into his palm. "This is the break we've been waiting for. We'll have to split up to take them all. Try to find out what they're after or where they come from. Let's go!"

---

The warehouse Beast Boy and Terra went for was near the docks. Terra skimmed along on a hunk of rock, and Beast Boy flew with her as a hawk.

"There they are!" Terra stopped near the corner of a building, allowing Beast Boy to land next to her. "What are they doing?" The robots were carrying crates out of the building, into another of those stingray-shaped ships.

"Looks like they're stealing stuff. Should we follow the ship, or take some of them out first?"

"Better to keep them from getting what they came for," Terra made a fist. "Besides, I'm in the mood for a workout."

Beast Boy grinned, launching himself towards the robots as a pterodactyl. Terra pulled up large stones from the bottom of the harbor, sending them hurtling into the armored foes. They turned in unison as they noticed the two Titans bearing down, blasting indiscriminately with their lasers. Beast Boy dodged, morphing into an elephant and scattering the robots like bowling pins. Terra provided cover with rocks, blocking lasers and smashing her share of foes as well.

Something struck her in the back roughly, knocking Terra to the ground. A familiar, mocking voice reached her ringing ears. "So, you've remembered yourself. A pity."

Terra rose angrily. "You know I've remembered, you were there when it happened!"

Slade folded his arms. "My dear, the last I saw you was when you had become a statue. I've no idea how you got your memory back, but rest assured, it won't help you, or your little friends." Impossibly fast, he launched himself at her.

---

"Answer me! Are you the one behind these robots?" Robin shouted. The battle had become a duel between him and Slade. Starfire and Cyborg were busy with Slade's robots, trying to prevent too much collateral damage in this crowded area.

"Astute of you to notice, Robin. I suppose your next question will be about my plans, as usual." Slade ran forward, trading fluid blows with him. Robin pulled his staff from its usual place in his belt, swiping at his adversary. Slade dodged swiftly, countering with deadly kicks.

"Tell me what you're planning! Why did you kidnap Raven and Terra?"

"I've no interest in abducting weak-willed fools." Slade ripped up a nearby traffic sign, spinning it like a staff. "And my plans are none of your business!" He charged into battle with renewed vigor.

---

"Azerath metrion ZINTHOS!" Raven telekinetically hurled a robot towards Slade, hoping to surprise him as Jinx distracted him up close. He flipped backwards without even looking, and Raven barely pulled the projectile away from hitting Jinx.

"It seems you've had a change of heart, Jinx." Slade chuckled. "I'm disappointed, you had such potential."

"What, to be your servant? I think I'm better off, asshole." Jinx flung a wave of energy at him, fracturing the pavement. Slade jumped aside, viciously slamming her into the air. Raven caught her and held her in the air briefly.

"How does he keep changing like that?" Raven growled, frustrated.

Jinx scowled. "Whatever he decides to look like, he's going down!" She jumped to the ground, concentrating her power on the walls of the narrow alley. Pieces of the buildings rained down, obscuring things in a cloud of dust. "Did I get him?" Jinx wondered.

Slade leaped at her from the side, seizing her by the neck and slamming her into the ground. Raven's eyes widened in rage, and she blasted Slade with a bolt of mystic energy. His counterattack came almost too fast to comprehend. One second she had knocked him into the pile of debris, the next she was gasping for breath on the ground.

"Looks like you lose again. I'm go--uargh!" Something yellow and red knocked into Slade, throwing him into a wall.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you it's not gentlemanly to fight ladies?" A cocky voice rang out.

Raven dragged herself off the ground. "Kid Flash. We were wondering what happened to you."

"Hey, I'm around." He replied with a grin. "Be right back." He zipped off, then returned less than a second later munching a Big Mac.

Slade stood up and approached them. "Two, three, what does it matter? You're still no match for me."

"Guess again," Jinx said behind him. She snapped her fingers and Slade slid into a small hole in the ground, trapped up to his neck by solid concrete.

"Hey, Jinx. Long time no see." Kid Flash threw an arm around her. "Told you being a good guy was more fun."

Jinx blushed slightly as Raven raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, well...what are we gonna go with him?" She jerked her head towards Slade.

Raven folded her arms. "He's our prisoner." She stalked over to him, pulling up the chunk of stone with her powers. "And he's not the only one who knows torture..." The sinister look on Raven's face sent chills up Jinx's spine.

Jinx bent her head towards Kid Flash's ear. "Could you go find everyone else?"

"Sure thing." The speedster ran off in search of the others.

Jinx cautiously approached Raven. "Are you okay?"

Raven turned to face her, carefully smoothing her expression. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just wanted to make sure," she laughed nervously. "I mean, we wouldn't want you to get carried away with revenge or anything, right?"

"I see. You're worried that I'll do something unspeakably horrible to him like what he did to me. Is that is?" Jinx nodded. "Don't worry. I'll just hurt him enough to make him tell me what I want to know."

Slade laughed behind her. "You really think torture's going to work on me? You don't have the stomach for it." Raven whirled, viciously backhanding Slade. His head snapped back and struck the concrete, and he slumped, apparently stunned.

"Considering who I am and what I've been through, there's quite a lot I have the stomach for," she replied icily.

Jinx shook her head. "Damn, I'm glad I never made you as mad as he has."

"Raven, Jinx, come in. Are you alright?" Robin's voice came from both of their communicators in an odd stereo.

Jinx pulled hers out of her belt. "We're fine. And we've got a present." She turned her communicator to display their captive.

"You captured him? How?"

She shrugged. "He ran into some bad luck. Kid Flash helped, too."

"It was nothing, really," he said from behind her, then raced across town to appear behind Robin on the tiny screen.

"Good work, you two. Meet us back at the Tower in ten minutes. Robin out." Robin turned to Kid Flash. "And thanks for helping us here, Kid Flash. What brings you back to the city?"

"Well, y'know. A guy can only travel the world for a while before you start missing home and all your buds." He grinned roguishly. "Sides, I figured I outta check in again for a bit. You don't mind if I crash at your place, do ya?"

"No problem." Robin answered. "Just try not to eat us out of house and home again."

Kid Flash made a face. "As long as Beast Boy still eats tofu, that won't happen."

--- 


	10. Session

Chapter 10-Session

"Alright, Titans. Here's the situation as we know it. We have confirmed encounters with at least two different versions of Slade, one with demonic appendages and the other with a green glow around him. We also know that the robots that have been stealing various technological components are doing so at the direction of another Slade, who may or may not be the real one. His M.O. at least fits with how he's acted previously, using robots rather than appear himself. We have one Slade robot as a prisoner, but we haven't been able to extract any useful information from it yet. We have no idea if these different Slades are working together or even aware of each other, but the Slade using the robots seems to be the only one with any sort of long-term goal, although we don't know what. Did I leave anything out?" Robin paced back and forth, not waiting for an answer. "We've checked all of Slade's old hideouts since we saw the first Slade, and they're all abandoned. However, we know the green Slade had a hideout, and it's resonable to believe each Slade has more than one. Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Starfire floated up to him. "Robin, you must not strain yourself so. We shall discover the truth when we have enough clues. You are going to induce your head to an ache."

"By the time we figure out what's going on, it may be too late, Star." Robin tried to ignore the headache she had predicted. "There's too much going on here, and none of it fits together." He rubbed his forehead. "And I'm not going to let a little headache get in my way."

"I think our best move would be to get some answers out of that robot," Terra said.

"But how do you force a robot to talk? It's not like you can put it up on the rack or anything," Beast Boy countered.

Cyborg stood up from the couch. "Actually, I can try to hack into its hard drive and force it to tell us everything it knows. It'd be like a truth serum."

"Good. Can you bring it in here?" Robin asked.

"Sure. I'll just go detatch the head so it can't fight back and bring that."

Beast Boy hopped up onto the back of the couch from his seat. "How come the robot didn't self-destruct when Raven captured it?"

"Maybe it can't," Raven replied. "Have we ever seen them do that before?"

"I don't think so...but it was kinda stupid of Slade not to give them self-distruct."

"He probably figured it would be useless to pump it for info." Jinx chimed in.

Cyborg returned then, carrying the head under his arm. He set it down on the table, connecting several wires from his arm to the neck. He tapped out a series of commands on a panel, and the eye opened and looked around.

Robin stalked over to the table, facing the head. "Will it tell the truth?"

"It should," Cyborg frowned. "I've overridden all its security."

"What is Slade planning?" Robin demanded.

The head fixed its eye on him. "You'll have to be more specific. There are several Slades now."

"Just how are there so many?" Terra wondered.

The head regarded her. "Slade prepared for the eventuality of his death. The original mask he wore contained a device that activated his projects in the event of his death."

"What projects?" Robin asked.

"There were three that met with a resonable degree of success. The first was the 'demonic' Slade, merely an attempt to improve the physical prowess of a clone. The one that glows green has no physical body. Slade discovered an arcane ritual that allowed him to make a copy of his soul, and bind it into a spirit manifestaion by sacrificing other souls. The third is the one that created me and my compatriots, a digital copy of Slade's mind that resides in a hidden supercomputer."

Raven's eyes widened at the mention of the ritual. It can't mean the Arek D'jahar, can it? If Slade discovered that...

Jinx noticed her distress. "You okay?"

"I...I'll be alright."

Robin was still asking questions. "Where is the supercomputer?"

The head chuckled. "Even though I have no choice but to tell the truth, I can't tell you something I don't know. The supercomputer is not at the same facility where we are built."

"Fine. What is the supercomputer's plan?"

"The plan is simple. The first step is to establish a controlled colony in another location in the solar system, one that could be shaped by Slade's will. The second is to destroy the imperfect Earth, leaving no opposition to Slade's ultimate domination over humanity."

"I never thought Slade was the 'destroy the world' type," Kid Flash mused.

"It is for the good of mankind. Humans are far too reckless and foolish to be trusted with their own survival. Slade shall rule humanity for its own protection."

---

Books lay scattered around the room, most of them open. Raven read through them feverishly, sometimes switching rapidly back and forth between them. The past several days had been hectic, to say the least. Crime had picked up, and Slade's robots had also stepped up their thefts. They were recieving reports that other cities had sightings of them as well. Things were happening fast, and no one was getting a whole lot of sleep. Raven was researching the Arek D'jahar, trying to determine if the Slade she'd been captured by was a product of it.

Her door slid open. Raven didn't turn, as she knew there was only one person she allowed to come in without knocking. Jinx sat behind her on the bed. "Have you slept yet?"

"I'm not tired," Raven lied.

Jinx folded her arms. "Raven, it's two in the morning! And I know you didn't sleep last night, either!" She reached over and snatched the book out of Raven's hands. "You are going to bed if I have to put you there myself."

Raven gave her a baleful look. "Think you can?"

Jinx's eyes glowed pink.

---

"Jinx! Let me out!" Raven struggled, wrapped in firmly her own blankets on Jinx's bed.

"There, now you're nice and cozy." Jinx bent down and kissed Raven's forehead. "I'll sleep in your room, since I won't go reading all night when I'm supposed to be sleeping."

"Jinx!"

"Good night, Ravy." The door slid shut.

I didn't even get to shower, Raven thought angrily. And I'm not going to sleep any time soon, I've got too much on my mind. Although, she shifted to a slightly more comfortable position, Jinx's bed is pretty soft. And it smells good. And being wrapped up like this is really warm. But I'm still not tired enough...she dropped off to sleep minutes later.

---

Robin walked into the workshop, where Cyborg had been working with the Slade robot. "What are you up to so late?"

Cyborg looked up from bent over his workbench. "I had a brainstorm a bit ago. The robot doesn't know where the supercomputer is, but it has to get its instructions from somewhere, right? It's recieving a signal from somewhere, and I'm trying to track it."

Robin grinned. "That's great! Have you made much progress?"

Cyborg frowned. "I wish. It's being relayed through hundreds of places, from government spy satellites to radio towers. I've been tracing it for the last hour, and it's gone all over the globe."

"well, don't stay up too late working on it." He glanced at the clock. "In fact, you should go to bed now."

"It's cool, it's an automated program. I was just hoping it would finish quickly." The two of them headed out. "I bet we'll have something in the morning."

---

They did indeed have something that morning, but not exactly what anyone had excpected.

"New Zealand? That's where the signal's coming from?" Beast Boy said after Cyborg announced his findings. "That's a weird place for Slade to put anything."

"You have to admit, it's not someplace any of us would have thought to look," Raven countered.

"We've gotta destroy that computer." Robin declared firmly. "The problem is, there's eight of us, and the T-Sub only has five seats. Terra, Jinx, Kid Flash, will you guys hold down the fort here?"

"What if we fly commercial?" Jinx wondered.

"Last time we tried that, Cyborg and Robin both got held up at security," Beast Boy said amusedly.

Cyborg jumped in. "Hey, at least I have a good excuse. Robin just didn't wanna give up his backpack full of weapons." Robin coughed embarassedly.

Jinx shrugged. "Well, I suppose you guys are old enough that I don't have to look after you." Raven poked her hard in the ribs, producing a satisfying yelp.

Terra seemed disappointed. "I really wanna get a piece of Slade, I owe him a world of hurt for the way he treated me."

"You'll get a chance, Terra," said Beast Boy. "We know there's at least two more Slades we have to take out, and there'll be enough for everybody when we find them." Terra smiled grimly and nodded.

"I can come with you," Kid Flash interjected. "It's not like I need a ride or anything."

"Actually, I'd feel better if you stayed here," Robin answered. "Just in case one of the others shows up."

"Okay, but call if you need me anyways. I can be there in about..." He disappeared in a rush.

"Everyone, friend Argent lives in New Zealand. Perhaps we should contact her?" Starfire suggested as they waited for Kid Flash to finish his sentence.

Robin grinned. "That's right. Good thinking, Star." He walked a short distance away and pulled out his communicator. "Argent, come in. Do you read?"

A sleepy voice could be heard muttering before Argent's face appeared on the screen. "The hell, 's bloody four inna mornin'. What? Ello?"

"Sorry to wake you, but we've tracked Slade to New Zealand, and I wanted to know if you'd help us take him down."

"Slade, eh? That rotter I've heard so much bad news 'bout?" Through the small screen, it looked like she sat up. "In me own backyard? I must be slippin'. Yeh, I'll lend a hand."

"Don't feel bad, it looks like he's been there a while. We may need several days to find him. Where should we meet you?"

"I've got a flat in Moon City. I s'pose I could fit you lot here..." She looked around the room. "...after I clean it a bit. When didja say y'were gettin' 'ere?"

"We should be there before noon, your time." Robin replied. "See you then. Robin, out." He turned to face the rest of the team. "Cyborg, how accurately can you track the signal?"

"It's coming from a public transmitter in Moon City, I doubt that's where Slade is." He thought for a minute. "But I think I can rig up a short-range tracker if I disassemble the robot."

"Okay. We may be there several days, in any case, so everyone who's going needs to pack something. Argent said she'd help, so we're going to meet her when we get there. We need to leave by ten, so let's get going." The Titans all left the room to prepare.

"...six minutes!" Kid Flash burst back into the empty room triumphantly. "Guys? Hello?"

---

Terra swallowed hard. Come on, Terra. You can do this. It's just Beast Boy, you know him. Steeling herself, she rapped on the door.

"Terra! What's up?" Beast Boy smiled widely at the sight of her.

"Um...can I come in?" She shifted nervously.

"Sure." The room was messier than usual, as Beast Boy had been digging through his closet trying to find one of his handheld videogames. Various objects were thrown everywhere, and the customary smell was a lot stronger.

Terra managed, through great force of will, to ignore the smell. "Promise you won't freak."

"About what?"

Beast Boy stiffened as Terra's lips met his. It was everything he had dreamed it would be, except long.

"I love you," Terra said as she darted out of the room, sliding the door shut behind her and leaning against it. Whew, that wasn't so bad. And he didn't--

"YEEEEEEES! YES YES YES! SHE TOTALLY WANTS ME!"

She sighed as she walked away. Yep, that's Beast Boy alright. Be careful, you big idiot.

---

The T-Sub manuvered gracefully out of the dock, gliding through the water as easily as a fish thanks to Robin's skilled piloting. Jinx, Terra, and Kid Flash stood on the shore of the tiny island, watching them depart.

"So, guess we're responsible for the city now," Terra said as the orange vessel cruised out of sight.

Jinx stretched idly. "Yep. And a more unlikely trio of heroes there never was."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Terra raised an eyebrow.

"Well, y'know. The two of us aren't exactly models of heroism. No offense," she added hastily. "And Kid Flash is, well...himself."

"Man, Jinx. You're brutal." Kid Flash stuck out his tounge at her, then continued more seriously. "And everyone has faith in the two of you. Being dark doesn't make you evil by default, I mean, look at Raven." He threw his arms around both of their shoulders. "Anybody that messes with Jump City is going to answer to us--the Teen Titans!"

---

He circled the harbor, far out of sight of anyone on the ground, powerful wings beating.

He watched as five of them left in their little ship, the ones who knew teamwork.

He studied the other three, the ones who thought themselves safe.

He planned his vengeance on the one who had betrayed him.

He waited for nightfall, when the advantage would be his.

Circling like the shadow of death.

--- 


	11. Flames

Chapter 11-Flames 

"Hey Robin?"

"What?"

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

Beast Boy was bored. They'd been heading for New Zealand for several hours now, and he hadn't thought to bring anything to do. Raven had a book, naturally, and Cyborg was still fiddling with his tracker. Starfire had dozed off a while ago. Robin was steering, and truth be told was only marginally less bored than Beast Boy, but focusing on defeating Slade helped. Beast Boy had completely forgotten about finding the game he was looking for after Terra had kissed him. Man, I still can't believe that happened! She kissed me! I am gonna take her on the best date ever when we get back.

"Hey, Raven." Beast Boy pressed his face to the glass windshield of his pod.

Raven glanced back at him. "I'm trying to read."

"Wanna play I Spy?"

She sighed. "Let me save you the trouble. It's either water, clouds, sky, or the sun. I win."

Beast Boy sat back in his seat. "How about the Liscence Plate Game?"

"If you can find a liscence plate in the middle of the ocean, I'd be glad to play. Otherwise, be quiet. Take a nap or something."

The green shapeshifter slouched in his seat, arms crossed. This is the boringest trip ever. I almost wish we had taken a plane, then at least there'd be a movie.

---

The T-Sub floated towards the docks of Moon City, New Zealand. Robin spotted Argent waving on the end of a pier and angled the vessel towards her. The Titans popped their pods open as they approached.

Beast Boy stood up in his seat. "Yo Argent! What's up!"

"Hey there, green dude." She tossed a rope to him, and he tied it firmly to the ship. "So, welcome t' Moon City, chaps. Now," she pouded her fists together. "tell me where the blighter's hidin' so we can kick th' ever-luvin' shit outta 'im."

"I like this girl," Beast Boy whispered to Starfire.

"Yes, she is most enthusiastic over the prospect of opening cans of the whoop-ass."

"Slow down, Argent." Robin chuckled. "We have to find him first. Cyborg, is your tracker ready yet?"

"Almost. Gimme...I don't know, half an hour?"

"I'm afraid your little toy won't help you even if I decide to let you finish it," an irritatingly familiar voice said. A Slade robot stood atop a nearby building.

"How did he know we were coming?" Raven sounded shocked.

"You are more clever than I gave you credit for, but still fools. Using parts of one of my robots to build your tracker? I knew you were coming the moment you left." It jumped off the roof, landing at the other end of the pier. "And now the game is over." The robot slammed its fist into the wooden structure, sending it crumpling into the water. Caught by surprise, all the Titans ended up in the water, but the setback was only momentary.

"Titans, GO!"

Starfire dove for it, eyes glowing dangerously. The robot managed to sidestep at the last second, avoiding certain destruction at the hands of the angry alien. Unfortunately, it had stepped straight into a blast of plasma, courtesy of Argent. It collapsed, most of its upper torso now a smoking ruin.

"That was anticlimactic," Raven remarked, wringing out her sodden cloak.

"Yeah. Too anticlimactic." Beast Boy agreed.

Raven rolled her eyes. "That doesn't make sense."

"He's right, though." Robin knelt to examine the remains. "Why would Slade throw away a robot like this? Just to let us know he knows we're here?"

"I think he was just messing with us, dude." Cyborg hefted his tracking device. "But next time, could we not destroy it so fast? I almost had a lock on the signal."

"Sorry, mate." Argent shrugged. "I was still in attack mode."

"Okay, team." Robin stood up. "We need to get situated at Argent's place, then head out and look for clues. Argent?" He gestured for her to lead the way.

---

"Wow, it looks like Beast Boy's room." Raven studied Argent's apartment. It was an unholy mess, with clothes and soda cans and pizza boxes everywhere. Fortunately, it didn't smell much like Beast Boy's room, as in it was bearable.

"Thanks. This's the cleanest it's been in a coupla weeks." Argent said proudly. "So, oo's sleepin' where? I've got a double in the guest room, and there's the couch, and..." She bent and pulled a sheet off of a lumpy pile of beanbag chairs and spare couch cushions. "...there's this loverly pile of stuff."

"I can sleep on the floor," Cyborg said, "and I bet Raven and Star will want the guest room." Raven nodded. Starfire looked excited at the prospect of getting to room with the dark Titan, no doubt already planning to do something like braid Raven's hair when she wasn't looking.

"So, do you want the couch?" Beast Boy asked Robin, skeptically eyeing the heap of cushions.

"Only if you don't."

Argent was kneeling by the pile of cushions and making strange cooing noises. "Actually, I think BB should sleep 'ere. Y'don't mind snakes, right?" As she said this, a long red snake slithered out of the pile and up Argent's arm. "Here, Mr. Fluffy, meet y'new bunkmate." She held the reptile's head up near Beast Boy. "He's a big sweety, but don't turn inta a mouse 'round 'im. I forgot this pile was 'is new house."

"Yeah, sure. No problem." The snake made its way onto Beast Boy, curling around his neck. "He's not poisonous, right?"

"Nah." Argent shook her head. "But don't be surprised if he's gettin' real cosy with yeh when ya wake up."

---

Floating over the outskirts of Moon City wasn't the most exciting thing to be doing. In fact, Raven was feeling a great deal of boredom in her assigned task. Robin had divided the city into sections with Argent's help, and they all had an area to patrol. Look for anything out of the ordinary, he'd said, but especially one of those Slade robots. The past several days had been almost suspiciously quiet, but doing this was preferable to listening to Beast Boy complain about how he had been violated by Mr. Fluffy the previous night.

Her communicator crackled at her side. "Raven, come in. What's your status?" Cyborg wanted to know.

"Still nothing. Have you picked up a signal yet?"

"Not ye--wait, got something!" A burst of static obscured his voice temporarily. "--sighted a Sladebot headed south on Fifth. Got a lock on the signal this time. Everyone get down here!" Apparently he'd switched to general broadcasting to alert all of the Titans.

Raven pressed one of the small buttons on the side of her comm, switching to an overhead map of the area. The locations of the other Titans were displayed as blinking dots on the map, and Raven veered towards the one indicating Cyborg. In minutes, she spotted the others converging on the same spot atop a five story building.

"It went in there," Cyborg indicated a massive silvery skyscraper with a conspicuous radar dish on top of it. "I'm getting a huge signal spike coming from both the top floor and underground."

Robin shook his head upon seeing the name displayed on the building itself. "Wilson International. How did we miss that?"

"I don't get it," said Beast Boy.

"Slade's last name is Wilson." Robin studied it momentarily. "Okay, I'm willing to bet the supercomputer itself is either on the top floor or in the basement, so we're going to split into two teams. Starfire, Argent, and I will take the top. Let's go!" Starfire obligingly grabbed the Boy Wonder under the arms and took off for the top of the building with Argent just behind her.

The remaining three Titans descended and headed across the street. "I'm not so sure about this," Beast Boy grumbled uncertainly. "Splitting up never works for Scooby and the gang."

"Beast Boy, that's just a cartoon." Raven replied.

"We probably shouldn't just barge in the front door," Cyborg mused as they stood in front of the entrance. "Let's see if there's a back door." The three trooped into an alley, circling the building. After several minutes, they did find a service door at the bottom of stairs leading down from ground level. Cyborg's metal limbs proved most effective in removing the locked door from its hinges, and they entered what looked to be a large storage room.

"Nothing so far," Cyborg scanned the room, both visually and with his internal sensors. "This room's empty."

"So let's take the elevator." Raven pointed at the doors on the other side of the room.

They piled into the freight elevator, heading for the bottom floor. It moved surprisingly quickly, depositing them in a long steel hallway that looked almost nothing like the large concrete room they had come from. At the other end was a pair of massive metal doors. The Titans approached, and the doors slid open smoothly before them, presenting a pitch dark room.

"Okay, I don't like this. Where's the security?" Cyborg stared into the blackness, attempting to make something out. The light from the previous room stopped abruptly at the doorway, as if cut by a knife. The same thing happened when Cyborg tried to shine his own light source into the room.

"I smell a trap," Beast Boy growled, changing into a wolf and sniffing at the doorway.

Raven took a step towards the door. "It's not as though we have a choice in the matter. Come on."

The doors slid shut again behinnd the trio, leaving them in total darkness for a second before the lights came on. The room was huge, but mostly empty except for the large computer console at the other end. The screen flickered into life as they approaced, filled with an image of Slade's orange and black mask.

"So predictable. You followed all the clues admirably, and it has led you here--to your deaths." Panels on the floor opened, and Sladebots began stepping into the room, surrounding them.

"It's gonna take more than your dumb robots to stop us!" Beast Boy shouted, hands balled into fists as he stood back to back with his teammates.

"Ah, but these are far superior to the pawns I've been using this whole time. Observe." The mechanized voice said smugly. The eyes of the robots all began glowing menacingly, hands wreathed in flame. The temperature in the room rose measureably. "I'm afraid your time is up..."

---

Robin landed lightly on the roof, searching it for some sort of entrance. Starfire landed next to him. "Robin, are you certain we should have separated from the others?"

"They can handle themselves, Star." He answered distractedly. "Help me find a way in."

"How 'bout this?" Argent blasted a nearby skylight and dropped through.

Robin ran after her. "Wait! We don't know what's in there!"

The room was an expensively decorated boardroom. The walls were covered in shiny chestnut paneling, except one which was taken up by a large computer display.

"Well, whaddya know? Found 'im." Argent said eagerly as the monitor activated, displaying Slade's face.

"Robin. You really do make things far too easy for me. Whatever possessed you to divide your strength?" The screen changed to reveal an image of Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy battling seemingly endless numbers of Sladebots spraying flames from their hands. The robots fell quickly, but they kept coming, and the three looked to be getting tired. The situation was looking increasingly hopeless.

"It doesn't matter. We're going to shut you down for good." Robin swore. Starfire and Argent floated behind him, hands and eyes both glowing.

"You don't get it, do you? The mainframe isn't here, and neither is it where your little friends are." Sladebots started to fill up the room. "It doesn't matter what you do. None of you will leave this building alive."

"Titans, GO!"

---

Terra lounged in the living room, channel surfing. Today had been frustrating, mostly because of Jinx. The two of them didn't dislike each other, exactly, but things were kind of akward between them since they didn't know each other that well. Hell, she thought, I don't know Kid Flash very well either, but at least he's not always moping about the fact that Raven's not here! Kid Flash's easygoing nature made it easy to feel fairly comfortable around him, but Jinx was getting to be very moody, alternating between locking herself in Raven's room for hours to fits of manic humor.

Come on, Terra thought. Get over it. Yeah, so Raven's been gone for awhile. You don't see me mooning over BB just cuz he's not here! She blushed involuntarily as she thought of the green shapeshifter she had such strong feelings for. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was slightly worried about her friends as well. She was just starting to have doubts about Jinx's sanity.

Something tickled in the back of her mind, like a half remembered thought. She stood up, looking for...something, although she wasn't sure what. The feeling sharpened into a sense of some sort of danger.

Terra caught Jinx's attention as she walked into the room. "Jinx, I know this sounds crazy, but I just got a feeling something bad's about to happen."

"Feeling of impending doom? Now that you mention it, I'm feeling kinda on edge, too." However irritating the girl can be, Terra thought, at least she takes stuff like this seriously. "Where the hell is Kid Flash? If something's about to happen, he should be here."

"In the gym, I think." Terra pulled her brand new communicator out of her pocket. "Hey, Flash, get up here. I think--"

A section of the roof smashed inward with absolutely no warning, scattering rubble all over the room. Alarms started blaring urgently. Terra and Jinx had to cover their eyes against the cloud of dust that had accompanied whatever had crashed through the roof. Before the dust settled, Kid Flash blazed into the room in workout clothes.

Fans kicked in, blowing air throughout the room. The dust gradually cleared, revealing demonic wings, claws, and a sinister mask. A satisfied chuckle resounded through the room.

Three scared voices breathed one name in unison.

"Slade..."

---

A/N: Three cliffhangers in one chapter? Am I a bastard or what?


	12. Demon

Chapter 12-Demon 

Disclaimer: Everybody watch out, this chapter is bloody and involves rape. Those of you with weak constititions may want to avert your eyes and turn off your imaginations. You have been warned.

And for those of you who are going to ask, no, I don't hate Terra. I like Terra. Slade's the one who hates her.

---

The hulking creature standing in the pile of rubble resembled Slade only superficially. Bits of ragged cloth and armor hung off of the armored body. Its segmented tail lashed the floor, two sets of arms stretched and flexed several inch long claws. The mask was still there, lone eye glinting rabidly.

"Anybody else feel like we're completely boned?" Kid Flash said nervously.

"Can it, KF." Terra growled, hands and eyes glowing golden. "We can take this guy. He's just a cheap clone." She might have been about to say something else, but Slade hurled himself at her with snakelike speed. She tried to jump back, but Slade swatted her sideways, smashing through the window and sailing out over the water.

"Terra!" Jinx started glowing dangerously, hurling hexes at the masked demon. The pink bolts impacted him, but seemed to barely faze him. He turned, swinging at her with powerful strikes that looked strong enough to shred her like tissue paper if they landed. "We gotta get him outside!" Jinx called frantically as a claw nearly took her head off. "There's not enough room in here!"

A reddish blur circled Slade, and Kid Flash nimbly avoided the retaliatory claws, drawing Slade closer to the window. Distracted as he was, Slade didn't notice Jinx flinging a hex bolt the size of a refrigerator into his back. He stumbled, and fell almost halfway down the tower before using his wings to pull himself out of the dive.

"Come on," Kid Flash grabbed Jinx and ran down the side of the tower, only to see Slade wheeling about in the air, dodging massive chunks of rock flung about by a very angry geokinetic girl.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," Terra snarled, smashing Slade with a barrage of rocks. Several of his chitinous plates cracked under the force, and ichor oozed from the wounds. Slade plummeted as a particularly large one cracked his head.

Kid Flash sprang into action, streaking out over the water and running circles around the descending demon. The water fountained upward, holding him in place. Jinx fired pink hexes from the shore, Terra brought her stone flotilla around to strike at him again.

Somehow, this seems really easy, Jinx thought worriedly. He was a lot stronger the first time I saw him.

Her suspicions were confirmed then as Slade abruptly dove out of the vortex, flinging himself at Terra again. Terra pulled rocks up between them, but he smashed through them, snatching her off of her platform. Another swipe of a clawed hand sent the blond girl sailing, crashing her into the ground on the island. Jinx ran over to her as Slade turned his attention to Kid Flash.

Angry red lines ran across Terra's stomach, and there was a deep gash on her head from landing on a rock. "Terra! Can you hear me?" Jinx knelt down by the other girl, but knowing next to nothing about first aid, she was at a bit of a loss.

"Come on! Is that as fast as you can go?" Kid Flash yelled cockily as he sped all over the water. Slade was diving at him, trying to catch him in those vicious claws. A few seconds later, Slade disappeared from his view. Kid Flash ran in wide circles, trying to regain sight of the villain. Only a faint noise behind him alerted him to the demon's presence, and he avoided a claw by a hair. Worried now, he took off at top speed. He glanced back, seeing Slade get smaller as he got farther away. He started into a turn--

--and stopped, staring in shock at the serrated tail protruding from his stomach. His gave traveled upwards slowly to the owner of said tail.

"I can go much faster." Slade spun, flinging Kid Flash off of his tail. Then he felt pain as the blades ripped out of him. He slammed into something again, or, more accurately, something slammed into him, literally. A second hole appeared by the first, and blood spurted out, tinting the water below red.

The scream caught Jinx's attention from where she was trying to revive Terra. Slade threw his victim again, sending him hurtling through the walls of the tower and out the other side, landing on the other side of the island. He lay there insensible, bleeding from the holes in his torso. A piece of something had wedged itself in his chest from who knows how many walls he'd crashed through. His limbs lay at unnatural angles, at least one of them had to be broken.

"No!" Jinx whirled, facing the demon. Her eyes glowed with rage, and she hurled a barrage of hexes. Slade moved abruptly, blindsiding her, claws raking along her side. She felt something crack from the impact, and fell to her knees, trying to hold the wound closed.

Slade strode over to where Terra lay, lifting her up by the neck. Her eyes fluttered open, and she kicked feebly and gasped for air. "I told you you couldn't escape me, Terra." He slammed her against the side of the tower, driving out what little air there was in her lungs. "And now, you will pay dearly for your betrayal."

Something clicked in Jinx's mind. The tone he was using, the position they were in...He's going to rape her, Jinx thought in horror. She got to her feet unsteadily, clutching the gash in her side. Her hand was covered with blood, which made holding the wound closed even harder. Every breath sent a sharp pain shooting through her. She raised her free hand, sending a feeble bolt of energy into his back. "Hey, ugly! Get away from my friend!"

Surprisingly, he turned, dropping Terra in a heap on the ground. He approached her slowly, almost calmly. "She doesn't have any friends. And neither do you." He punctated this statement with a vicious backhand that sent her sprawling, her hand flying off the wound. Blood pooled underneath Jinx as she tried to rise. A clawed foot thudded into the gash, tearing a deeper hole, and she screamed. Another kick, and she felt more ribs snap. Another, and she was hurled backwards.

Jinx stirred, tried to get up. The entire left side of her body was on fire, and she was pretty sure one of her lungs had stopped working. Her vision swam unsteadily, and she coughed up blood. She managed to raise her head in time to see the foot connect with her face.

Blackness.

---

Robin got to his feet unsteadily, supporting himself with his bo staff. The room was barely recognizable in its present condition. Chunks of robots littered the room, and most of it was badly scorched. The only reason the whole place hadn't gone up in flames was due to the emergency sprinklers, which were still running. "You guys okay?" He asked his teammates.

Starfire prodded gingerly at a large bruise on her head. "I am not badly damaged."

"Still alive 'ere, cap'n." Argent fingered a hole in her shirt. "So, now wot?"

Robin flipped out his communicator. "Cyborg, come in. What's your status?"

After a tense few seconds, the metallic Titan replied. "We're okay, just doing a little cleanup. But the computer wasn't here."

"It wasn't here, either. Any ideas?"

"Hold on." In the lower levels, Cyborg consulted his scanners. "I'm not picking up any more major signals, but the whole place is still resonating with the signal, something like a wireless network."

Robin scratched his head. "Then that must mean...the mainframe is hardwired into the building itself!"

"Say what?"

"If the whole building's the computer," Raven's voice came over the communicator. "how do we destroy it?"

"Simple. We blow up the building." Robin said decisively.

Stunned silence answered him.

Argent floated up behind him. "Eh, are y'sure that's the only way? I mean, knockin' down the whole bloody skyscraper seems a tad extreme."

"If anyone has a better idea on how to shut this thing down, I'd love to hear it." Robin answered gruffly. When no one spoke up, he went on. "This thing has to be stopped. We'll meet you three downstairs."

---

Raven stood well back from the generator where Robin was affixing various explosive devices. I don't know what I should be more worried about--the fact that Robin regularly carries around enough explosives to destroy a building or what he said earlier about wishing he had remembered to refill his belt with them.

Robin stepped back from the building's generator, eyeing his work critically. "I think this should do it. I've got the bombs on a remote timer, but we need to stick around outside."

"Since when was it a good idea to hang around something you're about to blow up?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"We need to make sure the building doesn't fall on any other buildings," Robin replied. "We have to be responsible about this and make sure no one gets hurt."

"Responsible destruction. Sounds like an oxymoron." Raven muttered, figuring no one would hear.

Someone did, however. "Oxy--ba what what?" Beast Boy asked, briefly turning into an ox.

"Never mind," Raven said as they followed the rest of the team out of the doomed skyscraper.

---

"Three...two...one." Robin depressed the detonator. A roar could be heard from the building's foundation, and it started to sway dangerously. Raven readied herself to grab the biggst thing she'd ever tried to grab before. Massive cracks ran up the building, and chinks started falling off. Starfire and Argent sped into action, catching as much as they could and setting it down, rather than having it plummet randomly.

The front wall of the building leaned forward, straight towards where Robin and Raven were standing. Raven gritted her teeth. "AZERATH METRION ZINTHOS!" It stopped, encased in black energy.

The strain was unbearable. In theory, the weight of the object shouldn't matter. For a master of telekinesis, anyways. But in reality, the feel of it, the pressure, was intense. It was all she could feel, all she was aware of. The other Titans were hurriedly ripping pieces off, trying to ease the burden on their teammate. Raven was barely aware of sinking to her knees, deaf to Robin's encouraging words. Her mind felt like it was squeezed in a vise.

Mercifully, after what seemed like years, it started to lessen. The weight was shrinking, the ringing in her ears fading. Raven felt a rising surge of confidence. We're going to do this! I can--

Pain.

It struck her like a sledgehammer to the head, knocking her flat on her back. The remains of the building crashed to the street. Fortunately, the parts that were looming over buildings had been removed first. Images crashed into Raven's head, the Tower with huge holes in it, people lying on the ground.

--and Slade--

--and Terra---

Raven sat bolt upright with a gasp. No.

"Raven, are you okay?"

"We have to go back. Now." Her grim tone of voice left no room for arguement. "Slade."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Titans, let's move!"

---

Mercifully, she didn't remember all of it.

She was sure he beat her before, and maybe after too, but she didn't remember it. She only knew by the bruises and cuts that hadn't been there before he started.

But what happened between the beatings. That was the part she wished she didn't remember.

There was pain, but it was a far cry from the kind of pain that accompanied injury, or the kind of pain she'd gone thorugh when she couldn't control her powers, or the pain she'd felt when she betrayed her friends. Those she was used to.

That vile thing inside her. It penetrated deep, down to her very soul, thrusting its way into her innocence and tearing it in two.

She couldn't cry, couldn't scream, couldn't even move. All she could do was stare into his eye, his one dark eye, twinkling happily as he violated her.

She would have spit in it if she could.

Everything hurt, every move he made against her, the little spikes on his carapace scraping her bare skin, his sick twisted hands on her throat, her wrists, her breasts. His hot fetid breath in her ear, whispering obscenities she blocked out.

That filthy fucking thing in her, shooting his slime into her.

He dropped her on the ground when he was finished. She got a good look at it when he hit her in the face with it. It was disgusting, covered in blood and semen, throbbing with unnatural veins, spikes and ridges everywhere.

She blacked out.

When she woke up again, everything was blurry. There was noise, light, movement...faces peering at her. She didn't recognize any of them.

Someone held her hand, telling her it would be alright, that she was going to the hospital.

None of it meant anything anymore. Words were just words, after all.

Where had everyone been when he raped her?

---

A/N: I bet I get flamed for this chapter. Oh well, bring it on. Like I said, I don't hate Terra. Slade's just twisted and evil. And I would also like to say the only thing that I think really does how I feel justice. Ahem.

Over 2600 hits?

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I am floored. Thanks to everyone who took the time to R&R. You people are awesome.


	13. Whisper

Chapter 13-Whisper

The hospital smelled, as hospitals often do, of death. It was heavy in the air to Beast Boy's sensitive nose, though they tried to cover it up with sanitizers. Death and sickness everywhere, and all his friends wound up in the middle of it.

Across the room, Robin was trying to stay calm, a magazine held in front of his face. He'd been staring at the same page for nearly an hour without really seeing it. It was obvious he was mentally beating himself up, blaming himself for what had happened.

Beast Boy sat down next to him. "It wasn't your fault."

Robin's voice was unnaturally calm. "I should have realized one of the other Slades would take advantage of this opening. I should have figured out a way for everyone to come. It's--"

"If you say it's your fault again, I swear I'll punch you." The green shapeshifter bounded to his feet angrily. "Stop beating yourself up! You don't know everything that's going to happen, and you can't be everywhere at once! It wasn't your fault!"

"I'm supposed to be the leader. I'm responsible for everyone." Robin stood and glared back at Beast Boy. "It's my job to protect people, and that includes my friends! If I'm not responsible, then who is?"

"How about Slade! He's the one that did it!"

"Will both of y'all just SHUT UP!" The two turned to look at their half-robot friend. "Yelling at each other isn't going to make things better!" He continued more calmly. "You can't prevent bad things from happening to people. They do. Blaming yourself for not being able to stop something you couldn't stop in the first place is not how you deal with it."

Robin sat back down heavily, holding his head in his hands. He looked up again when Starfire came into the room, supporting a barely conscious Raven. They were followed by one of the doctors that had been working with their injured teammates.

"How are they, Doctor..." He peered at the nametag. "...Parker?"

"Thanks to your friend there..." He gestured as Starfire was lowering Raven into a chair. "...Kid Flash and Jinx will live." Obviously tired, he ran his fingers through his graying hair. "The bad news is Kid Flash has gone into a coma, and we've had no luck in waking him."

Robin glanced at Raven, now dozing on Starfire's shoulder. "Raven may be able to help with that, once she wakes up. Can we see our friends?"

"Yes, please follow me."

---

The room with Jinx and Terra was dark, the curtains pulled shut. Terra was not immediately visible from the door, but Jinx lay on one of the beds. She popped one eye open as Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg entered.

"How are you feeling?" Robin asked as he walked up to her.

Jinx propped herself up on her elbows. "Been better. Where's Raven?"

"She wore herself out healing you three. I bet she'll be in here as soon as she wakes up." Robin looked around the dark room. "Where's Terra?"

"I don't know." Her brow furrowed. "She was talking to me a bit ago, but she freaked when you opened the door. I bet she's hiding."

"Terra?" Beast Boy called. A whimper came from a corner of the room. Beast Boy approached slowly. "Terra, it's me. Remember? Beast Boy?" He knelt down next to her. She was hugging her knees to her chest, shaking as if she was freezing. She didn't react to his hand on her shoulder. "Can't escape...can't..."

"It's okay, Terra. I'm here." He wrapped his arms around her, and her shaking stopped.

Jinx swung her legs out of bed, pulling the IVs out of her arms. "Well, I'm good to go. Soon as I find some pants, anyways," she added, looking over her shoulder at the hospital gown. "Years of jokes and they still don't put a back on these."

"You don't look like you're in any shape to go anywhere," Cyborg remarked as Jinx, for lack of a better option, wrapped a sheet around her waist.

"Crazy talk, metal dude. What're a couple of cracked ribs and a concussion?" She flashed a roguish grin. "I feel like I could run a marathon and finally beat Starfire at DDR at the end."

Cyborg shook his head, knowing just how good Starfire is at 'the Dance of the Arrows' as she calls it. "Sounds like you're feeling just fine."

"But what about Terra?" Robin said quietly. "It doesn't look like she's going anywhere for a while."

"I'm fine, Robin." She was standing calmly behind them, Beast Boy holding her arm protectively. "I'm ready to fight."

"You're sure?" Nod. "Alright. Let's go see Kid Flash."

---

The little room was crowded with five people crowded inside.

"He looks so pale," Jinx breathed.

Kid Flash's face was drained of color, still slightly bruised with the remnant of a black eye decorating it. He was hooked up to monitors and machines of all types, mouth covered by an oxygen mask.

"Looks like he's just sleeping," Beast Boy said.

Cyborg checked the monitors. "His vitals are too low for sleep. The doctor was right about that coma. Think he'll stay like this?"

Robin shook his head. "If he doesn't wake up soon, maybe Raven can do something to bring him out of it."

"Not to sound negative, but do we know if Raven can actually do that?" Terra wondered.

"We don't know that she can't," Robin answered.

Jinx bent over him, studying his face. "It's worth it to try everything we can. He did save both our lives." She glanced up at Terra. "He better wake up soon, or I'll slap him out of it."

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "You know, Raven might get jealous hearing you talk about him like that."

"What, can't I express concern for one of my friends?" She half grinned at him. "Besides, this moocher owes me twenty bucks, and if he thinks something like a coma's going to stop me from coming after him, he's got another thing coming."

"Okay, guys. We'd better let him rest." Robin started ushering them out of the room. "We've got work to do."

Jinx glanced back over her shoulder once as she left. Get well soon, you big idiot.

---

Robin's fist thudded again and again into Slade's midsection, producing an incredibly satisfying noise each time. He had his adversary on the ropes now, he knew it. Another swift combination of attacks sent Slade reeling, wobbling back and forth as if drunk.

Punch.

"This is for hurting my friends."

Kick.

"This is for violating Terra."

Hammerblow.

"This is for Jinx."

Roundhouse.

"This is for Kid Flash!"

Elbow.

"This is for Cyborg!"

Knee.

"This is for Starfire!"

Headbutt.

"This is for Raven!"

Chokehold.

"This is for Beast Boy!"

Throw.

"This is for all the hell you've put us through! And this is for you."

He raised his fist, preparing to strike the final blow...

"Robin?" He turned slowly from the destroyed punching bag. Starfire stood framed in the doorway of the gym. "Why do you talk angrily to the bag of punching?"

"Oh. I was just..." His hands waved aimlessly as he tried to come up with an explanation.

"You were just...?"

He ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair. "Working out."

Starfire walked further into the room, grabbing the towel on a nearby bench. "You are angry with yourself for the injuries of our friends."

"I know I couldn't have done anything to stop it, but I--" She cut him off by wiping his face with the towel.

"Robin, we will find Slade and make him pay for what he has done." The soft tone of her voice contrasted sharply with the look in her eyes. "And our friends will be fine. Please do not be angry with yourself."

"It's not me that I'm angry at. All I want right now is to do something extremely violent to the bastard responsible." Robin smiled grimly.

Starfire nodded and mirrored his expression. "Then we are in agreement." Robin noticed her hands were resting lightly on his shoulders, idly playing with the towel she had looped around his neck.

"Uh, Star?" She was very close, their faces almost touching.

"Yes?" She was staring at him in a way he'd never seen from her.

He didn't mind her being close, but..."I'm...really sweaty."

She gave a start and stepped back. "Oh! Yes, of course you must go wash."

Gah! Stupid! Stupid! You know what was about to happen, but you go making stupid excuses like you don't like her! What were you thinking! He berated himself as he walked towards the door. Robin looked back as he reached the door. She was standing in the same place, looking hurt. She flashed him a weak grin when she saw him looking, though.

Robin walked back across the room and planted himself in front of her. Starfire was about to step back, but he grabbed her arms and pulled her in close and kissed her before she could react.

Starfire was totally caught by surprise, but it was the good sort of surprise, like finding something you'd lost a long time ago when you were busy looking for something completely different. In fact, it was such a good surprise, it was like then finding the other thing you were looking for after that, and a twenty dollar bill in your pocket you didn't know was there.

It took her a minute to react and kiss back, but as she was about to wrap her arms around him, he released her and stepped back. "I really do need a shower, Star."

"Yes, you do." She was smiling in earnest now, a sight that made Robin's heart leap. And she kept smiling, even as he walked out of the room.

---

Morphing quietly into a small bird, Beast Boy slipped out of the window of Terra's room. She was sleeping now, thankfully. He was getting extremely worried about her, not that he wasn't before, of course. Terra was acting very erratic, alternating between crying and freaking out whenever anyone looked at her or touched her, and periods where she seemed totally normal barring the fact that she didn't remember at all what had happened to her. Those times she acted like the old Terra, but for Beast Boy, the pain she was in was obvious by the look in her cerulean eyes, the storm that swirled in the ocean of her gaze. She was repressing the memory, and part of her knew it.

Just like before...Beast Boy mused as he fluttered to the roof of the Tower. It was approaching sunset in Jump, a red glow suffusing everything. "What am I supposed to do?" He wondered aloud.

"I have three suggestions," answered the other person on the roof. Raven was standing with her back to him, cloak fluttering behind her. "One: stop talking to yourself. Two: just be there for her and stop trying to fix everything. And three: follow me."

"Follow you? Where?" He asked as she floated above the roof about a foot.

The cruel smile on her face literally sent chills up Beast Boy's spine. "We have a vermin to kill."

--- 


	14. Not an Update

Dear everyone who's been reading my stories,

I want to thank you profusely for reading and reviewing my work. It means a lot to me that people like what I write since I have plans to write for a living. I'm glad I was able to entertain y'all.

However, I have some bad news to impart. I'm leaving. Not permanently, but next week I'll be moving somewhere I won't have internet access, and I'll be there for several weeks or months, I don't really know. So I won't be able to check on the stories I've been reading (which pains me) and I won't be able to update. (which pains me more)

BUT! All is not lost. I'm going to continue writing during my long absence, and with any luck I'll have Anywhere but Home and Trinity of the Stars finished by the time I come back. And I've got plenty of ideas, as well as some new stuff in the works. Here's a few previews!

---

This one's untitled right now, basically a rewrite of The End. I promise it'll be cool.

---

Excerpt from the diary of Raven Roth.

The nightmares came again last night. I've tried everything I know to get rid of them, but they keep coming. Every night, I live through their deaths, my friends and others, innocents everywhere and others who've thrown their lot in with me trying to stop what's coming. During the day I get flashes, and I'll see their faces covered with blood, wounds just appearing, their lifeblood spilling all over the ground...I've been able to hide my reactions to these visions, but they keep getting worse. Yesterday, I saw Beast Boy's head ripped off by invisible forces and ask me if I was okay from down on the ground. All the evidence points to one inevitable conclusion: what's coming cannot be stopped. Fighting is pointless, it will only lead to a painful death for all involved, rather than painlessly passing on. That is the only gift I can give to the people I love, preparing them to accept fate and die without struggling for no purpose.

My birthday is in two weeks. Armageddon is in two weeks.

But I repeat myself.

---

This is called Through a Broken Lens. Parallel universe and my opinion of Red X's identity.

---

The museum was quiet, just like the one he'd been in earlier that night. Security was no problem. The interface devices in his belt automatically hacked into the museum computers, displaying a full map of the building inside his mask, complete with all security cameras marked. His latest addition to his arsenal was an optical filter that made invisible lasers easier to see than a tomato in a snowdrift.

Red X wandered invisibly, looking for something good to swipe. Surprisingly, most of the exhibits were rather low-quality, and his internal scanners showed a good deal of the items present were replicas. Did someone hit this place already? He wondered.

The sound of breaking glass hit his ears suddnely, and he teleported reflexively into the room it had come from. A pair of young men dressed like typical street thugs were ransacking the place. Red X winced at the complete lack of style, subtlety, and intelligence. A marker on his mask's HUD showed him that the two had tripped the silent alarm, and one of the fools was dangerously close to setting off the one that makes noise as well, menacing a large display case with a baseball bat.

"Yo, man, check this shit out! It's like a fuckin' gold mine!" He said to his companion, who was busy stuffing his pockets with jewels from another case.

The silent alarm is bad enough, but the main one will lock the place down, not to mention draw every cop within ten blocks. Red X drew his grappling hook and fired, yanking the baseball bat out of the youth's hands.

"The hell?" He looked around wildly for his assailant.

Another grapple shot out, wrapping around the confused young man. He fell to the ground, trussed up neatly. Red X deactivated his invisibilty seconds before planting a fist into the other thug's stomach. He followed with a flurry of vicious blows too fast for the human eye to follow. The man collapsed in a small heap.

Hearing a faint noise behind him, Red X flung himself to the ground, avoiding the sonic blast that thundered through the space he'd been standing a split second before.

"What is it with people and robbing museums these days? Is it like an initiation thing, or what?" Beast Boy's voice echoed through the darkened muesum.

"Looks like you're getting clumsy, X." Robin watched Red X carefully as he stood up.

"Blame Tweedledee and Tweedledum here for setting off the alarm." He replied confidently. "You know I'm too good to make mistakes like that, kid."

"But you sure aren't too good to get caught," Cyborg retorted.

"Titans, GO!" Before they could rush him, though, Red X flung one of his many X-shaped weapons into the midst of the superheroes. It exploded in a dazzling flash, blinding everyone in the room except for Red X, whose visor conveniently tinted opaque at the right time. He teleported out, heading for his cycle.

Red X revved his engine, taking off down the street at top speed. Too late, he realized what had been amiss that whole time--the flying redhead, whatsername, Starfire, hadn't been there with the others. Something seized him roughly by the scruff of the neck, lifting him off his bike. It sped down the street, crashing into a nearby storefront.

"You owe me a new bike," he grunted as he was seized in a painfully tight hold.

"And you owe us the return of what you have stolen," Starfire replied as she flew back towards the museum. The other Titans were gathered outside, mostly recovered from the flash.

"Man, my eyes are throbbing. I should have brought sunglasses." Beast Boy grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Why? It's the middle of the night. You'd look like an idiot."

Starfire landed in front of Robin. He looked Red X in the eyes of his mask. "What were you after and where did you stash it?"

Red X chuckled. "I hadn't picked anything out yet. Lots of low-quality merchandise, y'know. You might wanna check those two thugs I took care of for loot. Really, you should be thanking me."

"We could have taken them out ourselves," Robin growled. The thugs in question had been tied again with a line from Robin's own grapple, and were lying on the sidewalk.

"So, it doesn't look much like he can get away," Cyborg said. "I think we oughta find out who's under that mask."

Red X supressed a stab of panic. "Come on, I don't go taking people's masks off when I capture them." He writhed, trying unsuccessfully to reach his belt. Robin reached a hand for his mask. "Look, kid. I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"What, you can't be that ugly," Beast Boy joked, recieving an elbow from Raven.

The mask came off smoothly, revealing...

"Oh my God." Robin dropped the mask he was holding in shock. The face staring back at him was virtually identical to his, except for the X-shaped scar on the left side of his face.

"Red X...looks like Robin?" Cyborg said confusedly.

"Everything I know is a lie!" Beast Boy wailed.

Starfire craned her neck to get a better look at her captive. "You do not have a twin brother, do you Robin?"

Robin shook his head, unable to tear his eyes away from the face before him. "Not that I know of..."

Raven stepped closer. "I know this sounds like something Beast Boy would say, but maybe he's a clone."

Red X smirked. "Told ya you shouldn't have taken my mask off. And I'm not Robin's brother or his clone. I'm Robin."

---

Bad Luck Aria, basically what I wanted to do with Raven and Jinx in Anywhere but Home but got caught up in the plot.

---

Everything had been going great. I actually helped fight the Brotherhood, listened to that one kid and tried being good. Sure, the other HIVE guys were pissed. Can't say I'd blame them. Everything was cool for about a week. All us honorary Titans hung out at the tower for a bit.

Did it last?

No.

Everybody left, going back to their own places. Including him, the one I'd thought I liked. He wanted me to come with him. I said no. Why? Fairly easy to guess that, I think. Nobody else would talk to me. They all tried to look through me, pretend I wasn't really there, that they weren't letting a known thief walk around freely.

I knew they weren't going to give me a chance, so I didn't stick aroud to give them a chance to reject me.

That, and the voices started up again.

It pissed me off, at first. Brother Blood said his mental powers could cure me of that. I guess he lied. Not like that's the first time someone lied to me. But I had been so hopeful it would be true, that they'd be gone. And now...

What does it feel like to be alone inside my own skull?

I can't remember.

At least I don't talk back to them, right? I'm not crazy if I don't answer when they talk to me. It doesn't help when I start seeing things, though. Another reason I like the dark is that if I start hallucinating, at least I can't see it. That was why I was in my room so long. We were fighting the Titans, and all of a sudden, giant spiders started crawling out of my mouth, and the sky started melting like one of those tye-dye shirts, and everybody started ripping off their own skins and bleeding all over the paving squirrels...that's why I ran back here, to my apartment.

But maybe all the visions had gone away by now.

I stuck my head out the door, my third or fifth cigarette still hanging in my mouth. Even with all the lights off, it was brighter in here than in my room. It hurt my eyes, but nothing crazy happened. Now that I was out of my room, I could smell myself, and boy, I needed a shower.

So I took one. It wasn't too bad, I mean, the showerhead started staring at me and winking about halfway through, so I blew it up, but I finished washing my hair in the sink. I decided not to bother with the hairdo, or my usual outfit. Black jeans and a black hoodie, nothing fancy.

My answering machine was beeping when I came out. I watched it for several minutes before actually listening to my messages. I didn't want it to bite me again, after all.

Beep.

Gizmo. "Thanks a lot for leaving us to those pit-smelling Titans, crudface! We--"

Beep.

Seemore. "Jinx, what happened to you? You just freaked out and--"

Beep.

Mammoth. "Hey, uh, are you okay? I--"

Beep.

Billy. "What happened back--"

Beep.

Beep beep beep beep.

"Messages erased."

It was starting to look at me funny, so I picked it up and bit it. "That oughta shut you up," I muttered.

My stomach started growling. I ignored it, since I didn't have any food anyways. Being broke'll do that. But I did go into the kitchen and pick out a knife, a nice big sturdy number.

I put my shoes on.

Walked out.

Bye.

---

And a Danny Phantom fic entitled Dangerous. I'm debating making it DannyxEmber, since in my opinion that pairing doesn't get much love.

---

Danny felt himself materialize in a dark place. It wasn't like materializing after being intangible, it was slower, and therefore, painful. The place he floated in was almost completely black. He put his hand out and encountered a smooth surface. It curved all around him, above and below.

"Okay, where am I, how did I get here, and why am I in a tube?" Danny wondered aloud. As if his voice was a signal, green glows flared into being beyond the confines of his tube. Shadowy forms stirred.

"The specimen has arrived safely. Shall we begin?"

"Yes, yes. The procedure is long overdue."

Danny hammered his fist on the glass, trying to attract attention. "Hey! Let me out!" The two blurry forms paid him no mind, gliding about what appeared to be a room with practiced efficiency. A small hole opened in the base of the tube, and liquid began to fill it. Danny floated closer to the top of the tube and attempted to phase through it. The smooth material (somehow he doubted it was glass) rebuffed his efforts. Frantic now, Danny hit it with everything he could think of, but it remained solid. The liquid was almost up to his neck now, and he inhaled deeply, unleashing the full force of his ghostly wail for as long as he could before the strange liquid started to pour into his mouth and down into his lungs, choking off his airflow. He blacked out.

The two figures studied the unconscious half ghost in the tube.

"It resists."

"No matter."

"The procedure will be successful this time."

"No more mistakes."

"It shall be perfected."

---

Not to mention several other crossovers, parodies and original story ideas have flown through my amazing head. I think you people will be pleased. Don't forget me, I'll be back.

Peace and love,

Frost Mage 


End file.
